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Spotted Hoplo
Megalechis thoracata
Megalechis thoracata (black marble hoplo, spotted hoplo) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Callichthyidae and the subfamily Callichthyinae, the armoured catfishes. M. thoracata is found east of the Andes in the Amazon, Orinoco, and upper Paraguay River basins, as well as in the coastal rivers of the Guianas and northern Brazil. Recent introductions were recorded in the upper Paraná River drainage.
From the article Megalechis thoracata on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Range & habitat
The natural habitat of Megalechis thoracata is slow flowing, low oxygen parts of the Amazon, Orinoco, and upper Paraguay River basins. For this reason, catfish of the family Callichthyidae among other fish, have developed a unique way of breathing, where the fish will rise to the surface of the water and ingest a small amount of air. The oxygen is then absorbed through the lining of the stomach and intestine. This is known as gastrointestinal respiration. They will feed on small to medium-sized worms and other invertebrates, small fish, and general detritus.
Wikipedia: “Habitat”
What it does
M. thoracata has been observed to produce sounds during territorial behavior in males at their nest sites and especially during spawning, and during aggressive behavior in both sexes. M. thoracata males aggressively defend territories against intruders.
Wikipedia: “Ecology”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
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In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Megalechis thoracata in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 609744.