''Ernstichthys'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
banjo catfish
The Aspredinidae are a small South American family of catfishes (order Siluriformes) also known as the banjo catfishes, with about 43 species.
Distribution
Aspredinids are found throughout the major tropical rivers of South America (e.g., Magda ...
es that occurs in the
Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...
and
Orinoco
The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers approximately 1 million km2, with 65% of it in Venezuela and 35% in Colombia. It is the List of rivers by discharge, f ...
basins.
The genus was named in honor of the Chair of Natural Science at the Central University of Venezuela biologist Adolfo (also spelled Adolf) Ernst (1832–1899).
''Ernstichthys'' species are small to medium-sized, armored aspredinids.
Members of this genus are distinguished from all other aspredinids by having two sets of paired pre-
anal-fin plates and a strongly recurved
pectoral
Pectoral may refer to:
* The chest region and anything relating to it.
* Pectoral cross, a cross worn on the chest
* a decorative, usually jeweled version of a gorget
* Pectoral (Ancient Egypt), a type of jewelry worn in ancient Egypt
* Pectora ...
spine that is much longer than first branched pectoral-fin ray.
Species
There are currently three described species in this genus:
* ''
Ernstichthys anduzei''
Fernández-Yépez, 1953
* ''
Ernstichthys intonsus''
D. J. Stewart, 1985
* ''
Ernstichthys megistus''
( Orcés-V. ( es), 1961)
References
External links
*
Aspredinidae
Taxa named by Augustín Fernández-Yépez
Catfish of South America
Fish of the Amazon basin
Freshwater fish of Ecuador
Freshwater fish of Peru
Freshwater fish of Venezuela
Catfish genera
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