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Tucuman whiptail catfish (Loricaria tucumanensis) — Loricariidae

Tucuman whiptail catfish

Loricaria tucumanensis
Family: Loricariidae

The Tucuman whiptail catfish (Loricaria tucumanensis) is a freshwater fish of the family Loricariidae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
12.1 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Herbivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Tucuman whiptail catfish is a whiptail catfish (Loricariidae) from fresh water of northwestern Argentina. The species grows to about 22 cm and has an elongate, flat, bony-plated, sandy body tapering into a thin, whip-like tail, and an inferior sucker mouth. As a bottom-dweller it lies half-buried in sand and fine gravel and rasps algae, biofilm and detritus; the male often carries the eggs under his belly. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Tucuman whiptail catfish?

The Tucuman whiptail catfish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Tucuman whiptail catfish live?

The Tucuman whiptail catfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Tucuman whiptail catfish get?

The Tucuman whiptail catfish grows to a maximum of about 12 cm.

Is the Tucuman whiptail catfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Tucuman whiptail catfish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Tucuman-zweepstaartmeerval sourced
English name
Tucuman whiptail catfish sourced
Scientific name
Loricaria tucumanensis
Family
Loricariidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.1 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Loricaria

More from the family Loricariidae

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