Cat-eLog Right Loricariidae Right Hypostominae Right Chaetostoma  |  | 

  • Chaetostoma micropsSantiago River basin, Amazon drainage
  • Chaetostoma micropsDorsal view
  • Chaetostoma micropsFrom Hoese, Addison, Toulkeridis, & Toomey III
  • Chaetostoma micropsDorsal view, climbing. From Hoese, Addison, Toulkeridis, & Toomey III
  • Chaetostoma microps
  • Chaetostoma microps
  • Chaetostoma micropsDorsal view
Down Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name Chaetostoma microps  Günther, 1864
Common Name
Type Locality Andes of western Ecuador.
Synonym(s) Chaetostoma mollinasus, Chaetostomus mollinasus
Pronunciation KATE oh STOW mah
Etymology Greek, chaite = hair + Greek, stoma = mouth. 
Down Species Information
Size 89mm or 3.5" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification The genus Chaetostoma is not straightforward to identify, but as a general rule, the species has spines behind the gill-cover (interopercular odontodes), no plates on the abdomen, and aside from C. platyrhynchus also lack plates on the snout edge. Different from Ancistrus by not having fleshy tentacles on the snout.
Sexing The males have however a larger and broader head, slimmer ventral sides and disproportionately large pelvic fins. Perhaps the over-sized pelvic fins play a large role in the fertilization of the eggs. By inverting these over the clutch of eggs, they prevent the sperm cells being carried away by fast water current.
General Remarks The following paper describes how this species climbs wet cave walls. Hoese, Geoffrey & Addison, Aaron & Toulkeridis, Theofilos & Toomey Iii, Rickard. (2015). Observation of the Catfish Chaetostoma microps Climbing in a Cave in Tena, Ecuador. Subterranean Biology. 15. 29-35. 10.3897/subtbiol.15.4809.
Down Habitat Information
Distribution South America: Andes of western Ecuador.
Pacific, South Pacific, South East Pacific, Ecuador Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
Down Husbandry Information
Furniture Well rounded stones stacked to replicate a river bottom and provide caves.
Breeding Spawns in shallow, fast flowing water on the underneath of a flat object. Male, upside down, guards an adhesive clutch of eggs by, more or less, covering it with his body.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Down Further Information
Reference Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum v. 5, pp 250.
Registered Keepers There is but a single registered keeper, view all "my cats" data.
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There are 3 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Last Update 2021 Feb 15 05:32 (species record created: 2015 Jan 02 05:24)