 Summary of Hoplosternum |
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| New spp. / time |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | 1750 | 1770 | 1790 | 1810 | 1830 | 1850 | 1870 | 1890 | 1910 | 1930 | 1950 | 1970 | 1990 | 2010 |
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| Species | There are 3 "species" in our database. Hoplosternum littorale has the most images (i: 20). |
| Pronunciation | hop low STERN um |
| Etymology | Hoplosternum: From the Greek hoplon, meaning shield and sternum, meaning breast; in reference to the prominent coracoid bones on the breast. |
| Sexing | In Dianema, Hoplosternum and Megalechis (but not in Callichthys), medial expansions of the coracoid bones are especially developed, covering most of the skin between the pectoral fins and sometimes overlapping in the midline in fully developed mature males (vs. not fully covering the abdominal skin and not overlapping in females). Mature males of Callichthys, Dianema, Hoplosternum, Lepthoplosternum, and Megalechis have a thick adipose body on the ventral surface of the pectoral fin. Mature females of Dianema, Hoplosternum and Megalechis have a small fold of skin on the external face of the leading pelvic-fin ray. |
| Size | Smallest 77 mm, largest 240 mm, average 137mm, most commonly 240mm. All SL. |
| Distribution |
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| Genus Thumbnails |
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