PlanetCatfish.com - Megalancistrus parananus (Loricariidae) Cat-eLog

Close-up of suckermouth
Close-up of head
Albino from Pantanal

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Megalancistrus parananus** (Peters, 1881)
Common Names	L113, Gigantsugemalle (Denmark) Gigas-Ancistrus (Germany)
Type Locality	Río Paraná at La Paz, Entre-Ríos, Argentina.
Synonym(s)	Chaetostomus aculeatus, Chaetostomus gigas, Megalancistrus aculeatus, Megalancistrus gigas, Pterygoplichthys parananus
Pronunciation	mega lan SISS truss - pah rah nah nuss
Etymology	Greek, megas, megalos = great + Greek, agkistron = hook, in this case meaning "big Ancistrus". Named for the Rio Paraná, this species type locality.
Species Information
Size	588mm or 23.1" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	A colossal pleco worthy of the generic name. Can be differentiated from other large loricariids by the presence of evertible interopercular odontodes. Many sources suggest that L113 is also L234. Both are spotted. L113 is from the Rio Paraná and has a darker base colouration and, at least in adulthood, a lower dorsal fin. L234 is closely related but from the Rio São Francisco and has a lighter base colouration and, at least in adulthood, a taller dorsal fin. This confusion stems from the original L234 (DATZ, 1996) article which shows the Rio São Francisco fish but incorrectly states it came from the Rio Paraná. Possibly collection data was mixed up or commercially sensitive and so was not reported accurately.
General Remarks	L113 DATZ 10/1992 pp619-620 L234 DATZ 11/1996 p685.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: Paraguay, Paraná and Uruguay River basins. La Plata, Paraná (click on these areas to find other species found there) La Plata, Paraná, Paraguay (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
Husbandry Information
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1881 (no. 2) (for 15 Feb. 1881), pp 17.
Registered Keepers	There are 10 registered keepers, view all "my cats" data.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There are 2 wishes to keep this species, see who wants what.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 10 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.4.86.207
Last Update	2025 Jan 01 12:08 (species record created: 2001 May 05 00:00)