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Scientific Name Chaetostoma leucomelas  Eigenmann, 1918
Common Names Magdalena Tiger Chaetostoma
Vestlig Gumminæse (Denmark)
Type Locality Río Patía, halfway between the Río Magui and Río Telembi, Colombia.
Synonym(s) Chaetostomus leucomelas
Pronunciation KATE oh STOW mah - loo koe me lass
Etymology Greek, chaite = hair + Greek, stoma = mouth. This specific epithet refers to its white (leukos=white) and black (melas=black) colouring.
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 143mm or 5.6" 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.
Sexing The males have however a larger and broader head, slimmer ventral sides and disproportionately large pelvic fins. Perhaps the over-sized pelvic fins play a large role in the fertilization of the eggs. By inverting these over the clutch of eggs, they prevent the sperm cells being carried away by fast water current.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution South America: Patia and upper Cauca River basins in Colombia.
Colombia Pacific Rivers, Patia (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Colombia Caribbean Rivers, Magdalena, Cauca (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 2014.
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 Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society v. 56 (no. 7), pp 681.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2022 Oct 14 12:48 (species record created: 2003 Dec 20 00:00)