Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Pimelodidae (Long-whiskered catfishes)
Etymology: Pimelodus: Greek, pimele = fat + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Marcus Élieser Bloch (1723–1799) was a German physician and naturalist specialising in ichthyology. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Valenciennes.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 7.5; dH range: 4 - 10. Tropical; 20°C - 26°C (Ref. 1672)
South America: Gulf of Paria, Amazon, Corantijn, Essequibo, and Orinoco basins.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 35.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); common length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)
Gregarious. Appears to be active either at night or during the day. Seeks shelter under dead wood and is capable of intestinal breathing (Ref. 35381). Commonly occurs in the lower reaches of large rivers. Known to feed on fruits, thus helping to scatter several plant seeds. Also feeds on small fishes and insects and often manifests the behavior of a detritivore (Ref. 27188). Probably migrate upstream during reproduction. The female lays an average of 50,000 eggs which are fertilized externally (Ref. 35381).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez, 1992. Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD. (Ref. 5217)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00912 (0.00742 - 0.01120), b=3.04 (2.98 - 3.10), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.43 se; based on food items.
Generation time: 2.3 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100).
![Image of Pimelodus blochii (Bloch\](/images/thumbnails/jpg/tn_Piblo_u1.jpg "Image of Pimelodus blochii (Bloch\")
