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Scientific Name Chaetostoma anomalum  Regan, 1903
Common Name
Type Locality Merida; Río Albrieggas and Río Milla, Venezuela, elevation 1500-3500 meters.
Pronunciation KATE oh STOW mah
Etymology Greek, chaite = hair + Greek, stoma = mouth. 
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 160mm or 6.3" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification The genus Chaetostoma is not straightforward to identify, but as a general rule, the species has spines behind the gill-cover (interopercular odontodes), no plates on the abdomen, and aside from C. platyrhynchus also lack plates on the snout edge. Different from Ancistrus by not having fleshy tentacles on the snout.

From Regan (1903): Head much depressed, without distinct ridges or prominences. Eye very small, its diameter 8 - 12 times in the length of head. Dorsal fin longer than high, the anterior rays scarcely longer than the posterior. Adipose fin usually rudimentary or absent. Pectoral spine barely reaching the root of the ventral. Caudal obliquely truncated. Scutes of body not keeled, with short marginal spines, about 26 in a longitudinal series. Olive-brown above with light spots, with light spots in some specimens; dorsal and caudal blackish, sometimes barred with light spots. Most similar to Chaetostoma microps.
Sexing Males develop cheek bristles and stay smaller and narrower than the more robust females.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution South America: Lake Maracaibo basin, upper Chama, Capazon and Escalante River basins in Venezuela.
Lake Maracaibo, Escalante (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Lake Maracaibo, Chama (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Lake Maracaibo, Capazon (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 2021.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Furniture Well rounded stones stacked to replicate a river bottom and provide caves.
Breeding Unreported.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Annals and Magazine of Natural History (Series 7) v. 11 (no. 66) (art. 79), pp 599.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2020 Sep 19 09:28 (species record created: 2006 Jul 22 00:00)