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Scientific Name Tetranematichthys wallacei  Vari & Ferraris, 2006
Common Names Wallace's Shoe Head Catfish
Driftwood Catfish
Type Locality Upper Rio Negro, São Pedro, mouth of Igarapé do Ibará, about 0°15'S, 66°46'W, Amazonas, Brazil.
Etymology Tetranematichthys: From the Greek tetra, meaning four, nema, meaning filament, and ichthys, meaning fish; in reference to the number of barbels. 
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 206mm or 8.1" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification 1. Lateral margin of head at anterior portion of orbit, parallel to the posterior limit of operculum, in ventral view (Fig. 5a); ventral region light or dark colored; presence or absence of digit-like projections on distal portion of mandibular barbel; length of mandibular barbel 5.2- 2.6% HL; length of main ray of upper caudal-fin lobe 14.5- 20.5% SL; body width at pectoral-fin insertion 82.1- 110.0% HO; head length 24.4- 31.0% SL ..................................................2 1a. Lateral margin of head at anterior portion of orbit, diverging laterally to posterior limit of operculum, in ventral view (Fig. 5b); uniform colour pattern with dark patches along the body; presence of digit-like projections on distal portion of mandibular barbel; length of mandibular barbel 6.3-23.5% HL; length of main ray of upper caudal-fin lobe 18.1-19.9% SL; body width at pectoral-fin insertion 117.0125.0% HO; head length 28.5-32.3% SL ............................................. .............................................................. T. quadrifilis (rio Guaporé Basin) 2. Dorsal region without blurred light area; dark patches of pigmentation present along the body; ventral region dark-coloured; one light coloured stripe present on the caudal-fin; pelvic-fin without distinct light coloured stripe; anterior margin of mandibular barbel with digit-like projections; length of mandibular barbel 7.4-24.6% HL; snout length 41.2-49.3% HL; body width at pectoral-fin insertion 69.279.3% HL ................................................... T. wallacei (rio Tocantins, rio Orinoco and several stretches of the rio Amazon, except rio Guaporé) 2a. Dorsal region with blurred light area; dark patches of pigmentation absent along the body; ventral region light-coloured; two light-coloured stripes present on the caudal fin; pelvic-fin with distinct light coloured stripe; anterior margin of mandibular barbel serrated on distal portion; length of mandibular barbel 4.5-6.0% HL; snout length 28.834.5% HL; body width at pectoral-fin insertion 82.1-88.7% HL..................T. barthemi (rio Saracá, rio Araticum and rio Urubu).
General Remarks This is the species, probably exclusively, but certainly by far the most commonly, imported.
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Distribution South America: Rio Tocantins, various locations within the Amazon basin, and the southern and southwestern portions of the Rio Orinoco basin. Reports of T. quadrifilis from the Rio Orinoco system are considered herein to refer to T. wallacei, which is the only member of the genus known to occur in this river basin.
Amazon, Lower Amazon, Tocantins (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Amazon, Middle Amazon (Solimoes), Negro, Upper Negro (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Amazon, Lower Amazon, Tapajós (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.
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Breeding Unreported.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
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Reference Copeia 2006 (no. 2), pp 169, Figs. 1A, 2, 4.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2020 Sep 29 12:06 (species record created: 2006 Dec 25 11:59)