AquaticRepublic.com - Phreatobius dracunculus (Phreatobiidae) All Fishes

Ventral view
Dorsal view
Eating an earthworm
Resting in vertical position
Well at type locality, specimens collected at 5m
Close-up (from arrow, left) lateritic well wall

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Phreatobius dracunculus** Shibatta, Muriel-Cunha & de Pinna, 2007
Common Name
Type Locality	Hand-dug well in settlement of Rio Prado, about 90 kilometers south of City of Porto Velho, area of Rio Branco drainage, 9°34'10.7"S, 63°58'08.2"W, Rondônia State, Brazil.
Pronunciation	fray toe bee uss
Etymology	From the Greek phrear, phreat- meaning ''well'' or ''spring''. The specific epithet, dracunculus, is from the Latin draco, meaning dragon, combined with a diminutive suffix -unculus. The name, a noun in apposition, is a reference to the colour and general aspect of the body and fins of the fish.
Species Information
Size	38mm or 1.5" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
General Remarks	Although specimens collected were all from a single well, individuals of Phreatobius, probably P. dracunculus were observed swimming in two additional wells in the same area. Reports by locals indicate that the species probably occurs in at least another 12 of 20 wells in the region.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: artificial well in the village of Rio Pardo, Amazon basin in Brazil. La Plata, Paraná, Upper Paraná, Pardo (Mato Grosso do Sul) (click on these areas to find other species found there) Rondonia State Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Data Deficient , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2018.
Husbandry Information
Furniture	Natural habitat is in dug wells.
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo v. 47 (no. 17), pp 192, Figs. 1, 3, 5.
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 is no record of this fish being seen.
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	Look up P. dracunculus on PlanetCatfish.com
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	Look up P. dracunculus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up P. dracunculus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.171.179.1878
Last Update	2025 Jan 01 12:35 (species record created: 2007 Nov 14 16:13)