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Scientific Name Lasiancistrus guacharote  (Valenciennes, 1840)
Common Name
Type Locality Puerto Rico [in error]; actual probably Lake Maracaibo basin, Venezuela.
Synonym(s) Ancistrus mystacinus, Hypostomus guacharote, Lasiancistrus maracaiboensis, Lasiancistrus mystacinus
Pronunciation LASS ee an SISS truss
Etymology Greek, lasios, -a, -on = hairy + Greek, agkistron = hook 
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 135mm or 5.3" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification Adult Lasiancistrus can be separated from all other loricariids by the presence of whisker-like odontodes on the cheeks. In addition, they have evertible cheek odontodes; three rows of plates on the caudal peduncle; and a modified, bar-shaped opercle. The caudal fin is slightly emarginate to forked, with the lower lobe longer than upper. Nuptial males have tentacules on the pectoral-fin spines longer than their associated odontodes; and transluscent tentacules on the snout that have odontodes associated with them. Nuptial males lack hypertrophied odontodes on top of the head and lack long, bristle-like odontodes on the leading edge of the pectoral-fin spine.

L. guacharote is one of two described species of Trans-Andean Lasiancistrus (the other being L. mayoloi) which possess a dark body color with light spots on the head and nape. L. guacharote can be distinguished from L. mayoloi by the former having one to a few small bony plates in the abdominal skin medial to the insertion of each pectoral spine. Additionally, L. guacharote is covered with round spots on the head and body, whereas L. mayoloi has ovoid, triangular or irregular spots restricted to the head and nape, with wavy stripes on the lateral flanks.
Sexing Snout of nuptial males almost square (vs. rounded in females and juveniles). Adult males of most species (except Lasiancistrus tentaculatus) with whisker-like odontodes at anterolateral corner of snout; males of L. tentaculatus have tentacules instead of whisker-like odontodes along anterior margin of snout. Nuptial males have tentacules longer than their associated odontodes on the pectoral-fin spine.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution South America: Lake Maracaibo basin, Venezuela and Colombia.
Lake Maracaibo (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Lake Maracaibo, Catatumbo, Zulia (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.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Breeding Unreported in the aquarium.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Histoire naturelle des poissons v. 15, pp 508.
Armbruster, J.W. (2005). Neotrop. ichthyol., 3(4):549-569.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2024 Feb 03 06:30 (species record created: 2008 May 09 07:08)