PlanetCatfish.com - Heptapterus mustelinus (Heptapteridae) Cat-eLog

From the Rio San Juan, Colonia, Uruguay
From Aguas blancas
Video
Frontal view

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Heptapterus mustelinus** (Valenciennes, 1835)
Common Name	Weasel Catfish
Type Locality	Rio de la Plata, South America.
Synonym(s)	Heptapterus eigenmanni, Pimelodus mustelinus
Articles	- CotM 2014 April
Species Information
Size	209mm or 8.2" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Deprá et al. (2022) redescribed the genus Heptapterus as having the following shared features: (1) Adipose fin extensively fused with the caudal fin; (2) caudal fin non-bifurcate (i.e., caudal fin not divided in two lobes; vs. bifurcate, with distinct dorsal and ventral lobes); (3) dark bars and stripes on back of trunk (vs. absence of dark bars and stripes on back of trunk); (4) 5-6 pairs of pleural ribs (vs. 8-9 ribs); (5) elongate body with a head length of 16.1-24.9% (vs. 25.5-27.3%); (6) posterior extension of mouth rim short, with rictus barely reaching vertical line through posterior nostril (vs. posterior extension of mouth rim longer, with rictus reaching vertical line between posterior nostril and eye); (7) premaxillary tooth plate with no posterolateral extension, or with a small one (vs. with a very long posterolateral extension); (8) pelvic-fin insertion posterior to vertical through insertion of dorsal fin (vs. anterior) and anal-fin insertion posterior to vertical through adipose-fin origin (vs. anterior); (9) 10-23 anal-fin rays (vs. 33-46); (10) anal and caudal fins separated (vs. anal fin confluent with the caudal fin); and (11) supraorbital pore 6 (s6) fused or closer to each other (vs. separate and closer to the eye than to each other).
General Remarks	The SL size given is at odds with Fishbase (which lists 9cm TL) for the same species, however the size given on this site is verified.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: La Plata and Uruguay River basins and coastal drainages of southern Brazil. La Plata (click on these areas to find other species found there) La Plata, Uruguay (click on these areas to find other species found there) Mar Chiquita, Dulce, Sali (click on these areas to find other species found there) La Plata, Uruguay, Upper Uruguay, Pelotas (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.
pH	6.0 - 8.0
Temperature	18.0-24.0°C or 64.4-75.2°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	dH 6-10.
Husbandry Information
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Voyage dans l'Amérique méridionale, pp Pl. 2 (figs. 1-4).
Registered Keepers	There is but a single registered keeper, view all "my cats" data.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 6 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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	Search for H. mustelinus
	Look up H. mustelinus on AquaticRepublic.com
	Look up H. mustelinus on Fishbase
	Look up H. mustelinus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up H. mustelinus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.30.104.1416
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 01:39 (species record created: 2004 Nov 26 00:00)