PlanetCatfish.com

Expected: Trachydoras paraguayensis. ETA: tomorrow. Amount: 10 animals. I'll keep 5 myself, and the other 5 go to Sidguppy. He'll provide the pics. In due course I'll provide some information for the CateLog.

Animals arrived and they're NO Trachydoras (it seems that this name is changed to HEMIdoras?); but a non-described Opsodoras or Doras species we've been keeping before; years and years ago....

HH, question for you! (or any other ichthyologist who wants to jump in: welcome): do you have the big Burgess-bible currently with you?
because it is THE fish in the 2 pictures on pag 578, under the large pic of O leporhinus; right side of page; labelled as "Doras sp".


a list of marks:
-stretched build, but not as stretched as O leporhinus/Hassar/Leptodoras.
-scutes are small and vertical, not slim/large/diagonal as in Hassar
-branches on maxillary barbels, but only on the lower side (not double as in O stubeli or D eigenmanni)
-those barbels are longer than Hemidoras paraguayensis, but shorter than Hassar spp
-from above: snout is pointed but not as pointed in Hassar
-HEADprofile from the side is much more streamlined than O leporhinus, with longer snout; BODY profile is much more stubby than O leporhinus
-color is olive/light brown/khaki
-NO dark lines near scutes as in O leporhinus; NO dark wedge on dorsal implant (dorsal spine is a sandy color), only vague dark lines in upperr and lower caudal lobe.
-small dark spots scattered above and below the row of scutes, not many; most on the posterior end of the fish; fewer spots on the fish near head or pectorals.

Fish looks very much like Doras eigenmanni or Opsodoras subeli; except for 2 marks:
-NO upper branches on maxillary barbels
-NO "marbled" color; but very even, except for dark spots

I'll put it in the "what is my catfish-section"

Sid,
When I saw Marc's post that you were expecting Trachydoras, I figured some species of Opsodoras or Aduzadoras was what you were going to get.

"Trachys" can be hard to come by. I've only seen them once "in the fin".
As for identity, other than some species of Opsodoras (which you have already arrived at), I can't help any further.

I've got some swimming around at home. I'm really uncertain of the ID though despite bringing them home from Iquitos. This are the fish pictured at - I know the placement is wrong, but I am waiting on Mark Sabaj coming back from Argentina to help me with the ID.

If memory serves, there is a species of Trachydoras described from near Iquitos and I suspect this is the fish.

Anyway, there's no such thing as a bad small doradid.

Jools

If memory serves, there is a species of Trachydoras described from near Iquitos and I suspect this is the fish.

That would be T. atripes (a junior synonym of T. steindachneri), and my check with Eigenmann shows a very close match.

Is the Trachydoras atripes name valid or will this become Hemidoras (atripes) as well?

I plan to change it to T. steindachneri - this is a valid name. Sorry for taking this off topic bit it appears OK as we have another post for the first fish now.

Jools

and since we're hipdeep in the ol' naming game now....the pics I posted in "what is this dorad"; catelog stuff?

sidguppy wrote:and since we're hipdeep in the ol' naming game now....the pics I posted in "what is this dorad"; catelog stuff?

Yeah, especially if we get a good idea and perhaps better shot of the barbles?

Jools

And what arrived last Thursday: Trachydoras steindachneri.
They came under the name of Doras eigenmanni.
In a previous order I got Opsodoras spec., which were sold as Trachydoras paraguayensis.
Anyway, the two groups have found each other and live happily with a larger group of C. robinaea.
By the way: they and all my other catfish are completely ignored by my favourite characin, the malicious Exodon paradoxus. Even easy targets like Sturisoma and Platystacus remain unharmed.