Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Aspredinidae (Banjo catfishes) > Aspredininae
Etymology: Bunocephalus: Greek, byneo = to fill up, to swell + Greek, kephale = head (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Cope.
Issue
See Mees (1989: 208) for detailed description.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19. Tropical; 25°C - 28°C (Ref. 30491)
South America: Amazon River basin.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 14 - ? cm
Max length : 11.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 36695)
Facultative air-breathing in the genus; Occurs in ponds (Ref. 11229) and forest creeks rich in plant debris (Ref. 35381). Benthic fish which feeds on a wide range of food, including organic debris from the bottom. Spawns eggs on sandy substrate, in groups. Unlike the other species of Aspredinidae, the female does not carry her eggs (4,000 to 5,000 per spawning) in bags (cotylophores). It swims with undulating motion of its body and tail, rhythmically ejecting water from its opercles, thus resulting in a forward propulsion (Ref. 35381). Aquarium keeping: needs fine gravel or sand; minimum aquarium size 80 cm (Ref. 51539).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Spawns in up to 30 cm deep water (Ref.1672).
Friel, J.P., 2003. Aspredinidae (Banjo catfishes). p. 261-267. 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. 36695)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5001 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00324 (0.00134 - 0.00780), b=3.03 (2.83 - 3.23), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.60 se; based on food items.
Generation time: 1.4 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec = 4,000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (18 of 100).