Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (Weber, 1991)
Vermiculated sailfin catfish
photo by Ramani Shirantha

Family:  Loricariidae (Armored catfishes), subfamily: Hypostominae
Max. size:  70 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Madeira River basin. Introduced to countries outside its native range.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-14; Anal soft rays: 3-5
Biology:  Typically from floodplain lakes, swamps and borrow pits, in poorly-oxygenated waters and must rely on air breathing for long periods of time. Has a specialized (enlarged) stomach which appear to function as accessory respiratory organs (Ref. 58517).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 25 November 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  potential pest


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