Close-up of mouth and barbels
Male
Tunapuna Market, Trinidad
Female
Dorsal view
Albino
Albino
Stamp
Bubblenest
Bubblenest
Male building nest
Eggs
Newly hatched fry
Seven days old
Four weeks old
 All Fishes Data Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hoplosternum littorale (Hancock, 1828) |
| Common Names | Fork Tailed Hoplo Atipa-pansermalle (Denmark), Brown Hoplo, Currito (International) |
| Type Locality | Demerara, Guyana. |
| Synonym(s) | Callichthys albidus, Callichthys chiquitos, Callichthys laevigatus, Callichthys littoralis, Callichthys melampterus, Callichthys subulatus, Cascadura maculocephala, Cataphractops melampterus, Hoplosternum laevigatum, Hoplosternum littorale daillyi, Hoplosternum littoralis, Hoplosternum littoralis daillyi, Hoplosternum schreineri, Hoplosternum shirui, Hoplosternum stevardii, Hoplosternum thoracatum cayennae |
| 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. Named after the genus Callichthys, which refers to the armour plates (Callum = hard skin; ichthys = fish) found in all members of this family. |
| Species Information | |
| Size | 240mm or 9.4" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp. |
| 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. 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. |
| Habitat Information | |
| Distribution | South America Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there) Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there) La Plata (click on these areas to find other species found there) Ceará State Rivers, Jaguaribe, Salgado (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Least Concern , a distribution map is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020. |
| pH | 5.9 - 7.2 |
| Temperature | 18.0-24.0°C or 64.4-75.2°F (Show species within this range) |
| Other Parameters | Slightly hard or mildly brackish water - natural habitat 500-2000 microS/cm. |
| Husbandry Information | |
| Breeding Reports | There is no breeding report. |
| Further Information | |
| Reference | Zoological Journal, London v. 4, pp 244. |
| 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 7 records of this fish being seen, view them all. |
| More Resources | |
| Forum BBCode | |
 | Look up H. littorale on PlanetCatfish.com |
 | Look up H. littorale on Fishbase |
 | Look up H. littorale on Encyclopedia of Life |
 | Look up H. littorale on Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| LFS label creator ARN ref:1.1.139.394 | |
| Last Update | Fri Nov 04, 2022 10:03 am (Species record created: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am) |