Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Auchenipteridae (Driftwood catfishes) > Auchenipterinae
Etymology: Ageneiosus: Greek, a = without + greek, geneias, -ados = bear, chin (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Issue
Redescribed in Walsh (pers comm., and 1990) as Ageneiosus brevifilis Valenciennes.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic; pH range: 6.5 - 7.8; dH range: ? - 20. Tropical; 22°C - 24°C (Ref. 2060)
South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, and Venezuela (Ref. 37098). Reported from Uruguay (Ref. 54736).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 64.8 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 111518); max. published weight: 3.1 kg (Ref. 111518)
Anal soft rays: 34 - 40; Vertebrae: 46 - 51. Body naked and elongated. Head is pointed and depressed at the top. Mouth is big and wide. The lateral eyes are situated along the level of the mouth, ensuring a vision above and below. Exhibits sexual dimorphism, like A. dentatus. The first ray of the dorsal fin is very long and has pointed spines (Ref. 35381).
Prefers rivers in overgrown backwaters where the current is not too strong. Reported to be nocturnal. Feeds on fish and crustaceans. The flesh is esteemed for its very fine flavor. Frequently captured with nets, with males difficult to release from the nets because of its strong dorsal spine that is bordered with denticles (Ref. 27188). During reproduction, the mandibular barbels and dorsal spine of the male change, and a copulatory organ appears at the anterior level of the anal fin. Fertilization is internal, the female being capable of keeping the spermatozoids inserted in the epithelium of her genital tract (Ref. 35381).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Female lays eggs on plants a few days after fertilization (Ref. 2060). The females can preserve keep fertile spermatozoids by coating these with secretions of maternal origin and inserting these in the epithelium of its genital tract (Ref. 27188).
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2003. Auchenipteridae (Driftwood catfishes). p. 470-482. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil. (Ref. 37098)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5020 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00955 (0.00735 - 0.01241), b=3.03 (2.97 - 3.09), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.66 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming tm=2-4, Fec>1000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (46 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 109 [55, 259] mg/100g; Iron = 1.47 [0.80, 2.90] mg/100g; Protein = 17.7 [15.4, 19.8] %; Omega3 = 0.247 [0.100, 0.606] g/100g; Selenium = 36.8 [13.5, 100.3] μg/100g; VitaminA = 31.7 [10.5, 99.2] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.42 [0.91, 2.14] mg/100g (wet weight); based on
nutrient studies.
