Hypostomus spiniger (Hensel, 1870)

Family:  Loricariidae (Armored catfishes), subfamily: Hypostominae
Max. size:  28.3 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay (Uruguay River and Dos Patos system). Reported from a wide region with estimated values for criterion B: EOO = 251.934 sq. km and AOO = 72 sq. kml; thus according to IUCN criteria it can be categorized as a species of Least Concern (Ref. 121236).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-7; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 4-4. This species is distinguished from all its congeners, except H. affinis, H. punctatus, H. ancistroides, H. commersoni, by the following characters: teeth bifid (vs. spoon-shaped); dark spots on light background (vs. light spots on a dark background or not spotted); with 4 rough lateral ridges on flanks (vs. no strong ridges on flanks); lateral series plates 26-29 (vs. < 28 in several species, 31-32 in H. laplatae); differs from H. laplatae with 1-2 plates bordering posterior margin of supraoccipital bone (vs. 3-4); differs from H. affinis, H. punctatus, H. ancistroides by its inter-dorsal distance 14.7-20.4% in SL (vs. 18.9-21.0%) and with head depth 48.8-76.4% in HL (vs. 48.2-49.9%); differs from H. commersoni by having large lateral ridges with odontodes posteriorly inclined (vs. fine and with odontodes in all directions), strong lateral ridges in caudal peduncle (vs. weak), mid lateral ridge from 2nd or 3rd plate (vs. from first plate), adults (> 12 cm SL) with a very weak ridge on temporal plate (vs. strong ridge) (Ref. 121236).
Biology:  This species was collected on substrate mainly composed of sand, oxygenated waters (8.4-9.0 mg/l) with moderate current; water turbidity was 22.4-74.2 NTU., conductivity 567-1909 μS/cm, pH 7.6-8.3, and temperature 19.8-25.3°C (Ref. 121236). Feeds on organic material (detritus) on the bottom (Ref. 6868).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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