AquaticRepublic.com - Scoloplax empousa (Scoloplacidae) All Fishes

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Scoloplax empousa** Schaefer, Weitzman & Britski, 1989
Common Name
Type Locality	Rio Ivinheima 70 kilometers upstream from its confluence with Rio Paraná, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, 22°35'S, 53°30'W.
Pronunciation	SKOW low plax - ehm pow sah
Etymology	Scoloplax: From the Greek skolos, meaning thorn and plax, meaning plate; in reference to the moveable dermal bone on top of snout (rostral plate) that is studded with large integumentary teeth. From the Greek empousa for hobgoblin or specter having various forms, in reference to the especially bizarre appearance of the species.
Species Information
Size	20mm or 0.8" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Species of the neotropical family Scoloplacidae are distinguished from other Siluriformes by the presence of a conspicuous shield-shaped rostral plate bearing numerous large and recurved odontodes. Scoloplacidae is a monogeneric family endemic to South America and known from the Amazon, Paraguay, and Parana basins. The worlds smallest known catfish are from this genus, the smallest is most likely S. dolicholophia. Scoloplax empousa is distinguished from all other Scoloplax by the combination: paired bilateral mental barbels, four dorsal-fin rays, five pectoral-fin rays, five pelvic fin rays, and six anal-fin rays.
Sexing	Larger male specimens with large, fleshy tissue at ventral opening. Females without tissue sack.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: Amazon and Paraguay/Paraná River basins. Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there) La Plata, Paraná (click on these areas to find other species found there) La Plata, Paraná, Paraguay (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 in the aquarium.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia v. 141, pp 194, Figs. 7, 8, 11.
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.
Forum BBCode

	Look up S. empousa on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up S. empousa on Fishbase
	Look up S. empousa on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up S. empousa on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.25.127.1207
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 01:40 (species record created: 2006 Dec 24 11:47)