The Hunt for Panaque suttonorum continues

[Shane]

Thought some of you would appreciate this update from Ed Ruiz in Maracaibo, Venezuela... This is the first information I have seen that demonstrates P. suttonorum to have the same blue eyes as their better known cousins in the Magdalena basin, P. cochliodon. The second Panaque sp (if Ed is correct in his identification) would most likely represent a new sp.
-Shane

...And in this project, I feel that the fisherman who make their lives and subsist day to day in the Catatumbo river area (From the Rio Apon and Rio Negro in Northern Perija down to the Catatumbo, Tarra, Intermedio in Colon district,
South Lake Maracaibo) are our best tools. If we're gonna find any of these fish it will be very likely that some show up in the fishermen's nets than in ours. Well, we got along with this, we started by interviewing fishermen
at their homes and on their boats (21 men), the idea is to set up a team of guys that will catch some real Lake Maracaibo basin blue eyed panaques for us. The prize, One big box of La Campiña Powder Milk 2 kg cans - 12 cans for
each 12 Suttonis. Now will have to wait and see what happens. Having contacted mainly with real "baquianos corroncheros", fisherman who know the different suckermouths well, we learned that these fellas distinguish this catfish with the name of "Corroncho Cajita de ojos azules" (Blue Eyed Box Suckermouth) and "Chupa-cayuco" (Canoe Sucker). They are easily identified buy their rather large and high head and short coupled body. They will be
found mainly in places where there are heavy loads of sunken driftwood, at a relative depth (3 to 4 mts we were told). They are usually encountered when the seines are caught in this wood and the fishermen must remove their nets from these underwater obstacles. They are not fond of the shore, nor shallow waters. They state that they spawn in holes in this sunken driftwood. We were also told that a favorite place for P. suttonorum are the bottom of
sunken tree trunks (where trunks penetrate into the soil) in the Cienaga de Juan Manuel, a large swamp made up by the Catatumbo River system which borders southwestern Lake Maracaibo. The Negro/Yaza, Apon, Aricuaiza, Santa
Ana, Lora, Catatumbo, Tarra all flow into this swamp which eventually dissipates into the Lake proper. This part of the swamp has more of a jungle biotype and is not commercially fished in. Though pretty close to Maracaibo,
the area is very remote and can only be reached during the wet season (now) in cayucos, during the dry season it would represent a really muddy and long walk. We're not in the everglades where an airboat could do a lot for us.
We tried contacting the guy who called us some months back saying he had three panaque for us, the fella from Congo Mirador, but had no luck.

One thing was made clear to us: These fish, although known to all of the fisherman we talked with, are very rarely found even in their daily catches, one or two, very eventually.

One pretty serious looking fisherman said: "Mire señor, soy padre de 13 muchachos y hombre de palabra, yo voy a conseguirle sus corronchos, espero que usted sea hombre de palabra y me traiga esa caja e´leche".

Just imagine if the fella catches "something else by mistake" and he wants his caja de leche.

Wil did catch a rather nice number of another Panaque genus look-alike (a golden and black striped form)which at this moment we have not identified
(this was just last sunday). They are only about a half inch long, but I will send you a picture promptly, I promise.
Edgar

Notes:
Those of you that speak Spanish should have fun with the Venezuelan accent. The fisherman above stated, "Look mister, I am the father of 13 children and a man of my word. I am going to catch (get) your plecos. I hope that you are also a man of your word and bring me that box of milk."
Many panaqueare known as "canoe wreckers" throughout South America for their ability to chew holes in dugout canoe. The term "Ruña canoa" is used, for example on the Rio Napo in Ecuador.

[grumpyold]

Being new to the forum and not read many posts yet.
Do all Panaqu species have the same breeding habits or close to the same .
Top read Bob.