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Scientific Name Heptapterus mustelinus  (Valenciennes, 1835)
Common Name Weasel Catfish
Type Locality Rio de la Plata, South America.
Synonym(s) Heptapterus eigenmanni, Pimelodus mustelinus
Hop to next section 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.
Hop to next section 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)

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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.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Breeding Unreported.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Voyage dans l'Amérique méridionale, pp Pl. 2 (figs. 1-4).
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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There are 6 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Last Update 2022 Sep 10 01:54 (species record created: 2004 Nov 26 00:00)