Hoplosternum [SEP] parent taxon
Hoplosternum
Hoplosternum is a small genus of freshwater catfish in the Callichthyinae subfamily of the armored catfish family.
A fossil catfish has been identified as "Hoplosternum sp." from the middle Miocene in the La Venta formation, Magdalena River basin, Colombia.
Taxonomy.
The name "Hoplosternum" is derived from the Greek "hoplon" (weapon) and "sternon" (chest).
Species.
There are currently three described species in this genus:
- "Hoplosternum littorale" (Atipa)
- "Hoplosternum magdalenae" (Striped hoplo)
- "Hoplosternum punctatum"
Distribution.
"Hoplosternum" species are found in tropical Central and South America especially in Guyana.
Ecology.
"Hoplosternum" is normally found in large schools on the muddy bottoms of slow-moving rivers, pools, drainage ditches, and swampy areas. In water with low oxygen content, the fish are capable of utilizing atmospheric air by taking in a gulp of air at the surface of the water and passing it back