Phreatobius sanguijuela
Phreatobius sanguijuela is a South American species of heptapterid catfish that lives in underground waters.[1]
| Phreatobius sanguijuela | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Heptapteridae |
| Genus: | Phreatobius |
| Species: | P. sanguijuela |
| Binomial name | |
| Phreatobius sanguijuela L. A. Fernández, Saucedo, Carvajal-Vallejos & S. A. Schaefer, 2007 | |
This species was first discovered in a hand-dug well located within the Paragúa River drainage, a tributary of the Guaporé (Iténez) River in Bolivia.[1] Later it was discovered just across the border in several wells near São Francisco do Guaporé in the Brazilian state of Rondônia.[2] This species is threatened by environmental degradation due to pollution, water extraction for drinking and irrigation, mineral extraction, and associated erosion.[1] It is often killed when accidentally caught from wells because of a superficial resemblance to leeches.[1]
This small fish reaches a maximum standard length of 4.2 cm (1.7 in).[1] P. sanguijuela differs from P. cisternarum in a number of ways, but the main differences are the absence of eyes (which are present in P. cisternarum).[1]
References
- Fernandez, Luis; Saucedo, Lisandro J.; Carvajal-Vallejos, Fernando M.; Schaefer, Scott A. (2007). "A new phreatic catfish of the genus Phreatobius Goeldi 1905 from groundwaters of the Iténez River, Bolivia (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae)". Zootaxa. 1626: 51–58.
- Ohara, W.M.; I.D. Da Costa; M.L. Fonseca (2016). "Behavioiur, feeding habits and ecology of the blind catfish Phreatobius sanguijuela (Ostariophysi: Siluriformes)". Journal of Fish Biology. 89 (2): 1285–1301. doi:10.1111/jfb.13037.