Hypoptopoma

Hypoptopoma inexspectatum

Hypoptopoma is a genus in the family of armored catfish ( Loricariidae ) from the current 15 species have been described. The scientific name is derived from the Greek hypo = " beneath ", optoma = "see" and poma = " cover / operculum" together. The German name is giant lattice ear loricariids. Depending on the type of overall lengths between 3.5 and 10.5 cm are achieved.

Features

Among others Hypoptopoma differs by a laterally widened neck plate from other genera of the armored catfish. Only Hypoptopoma and the genus Oxyropsis also compared to other Loricariids a strongly flattened head with ventrolateral positioned, protruding and thus visible from the underside of the body from eyes.

Distribution and habitat

Hypoptopoma are widely distributed in the Amazon basin. They live in rivers (often in white water rivers ) with muddy to sandy soils and low vegetation. There they stick with their suction mouth on roots, branches, stems and leaves of standing in the water or projecting into the water riparian vegetation.

Nutrition

Hypoptopoma feed on plant and animal nursery, they graze with their suction mouth.

Reproduction

About the courtship behavior is no reliable information. Hypoptopoma pairs spawn on smooth solid surfaces a small number of about 1 mm large light green eggs, which are laid in rows from the active guarded by the male eggs hatch after about three days, about 3 mm larvae that have a light green yolk sac. The larvae by sticking on to the smear that they leave after a further 24 hours wriggling swimming movements. With the free-swimming parental care ends.

System

• Hypoptopoma guianense man Boese, 1974
• Hypoptopoma gulare Cope, 1878
• Hypoptopoma inexspectatum ( Holmberg, 1893)
• Hypoptopoma spectabile ( Eigenmann, 1914)
• Hypoptopoma steindachneri Boulenger, 1895
• Hypoptopoma thoracatum Günther, 1868