AquaticRepublic.com - Tetranematichthys wallacei (Auchenipteridae) All Fishes

Male
Female
Male
Close-up of head
Male
Female
Close-up of head
Typical resting position
Resting after food
Male
Upper Rio Negro, Brazil
Female

All Fishes Data Sheet
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.
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.
Habitat Information
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) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
Husbandry Information
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Copeia 2006 (no. 2), pp 169, Figs. 1A, 2, 4.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 9 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.22.249.8
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 01:41 (species record created: 2006 Dec 25 11:59)