Pseudoplatystoma
Pseudoplatystoma is a genus of several South American catfish species of the family Pimelodidae. The species are known by a number of different common names. They typically inhabit major rivers where they prefer the main channels and tend to stay at maximum depth, but some species can also be seen in lakes, flooded forests, and other freshwater habitats. They have robust bodies and are important food fish. Recently, their populations have been on the drastic decline due to a variety of factors, including overfishing and habitat destruction due to the construction of hydroelectric dams.
Species
GENUS
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassTeleostei
- OrderSiluriformes
- FamilyPimelodidae
Habitatbrackish, freshwater
via GBIF
Article
10 sectionsContents
- Nomenclature
- Common names
- Description
- Distribution and habitat
- Biology
- Reproduction
- Relationship to humans
- In the aquarium
- See also
- References
Pseudoplatystoma is a genus of several South American catfish species of the family Pimelodidae. The species are known by a number of different common names. They typically inhabit major rivers where they prefer the main channels and tend to stay at maximum depth, but some species can also be seen in lakes, flooded forests, and other freshwater habitats. They have robust bodies and are important food fish. Recently, their populations have been on the drastic decline due to a variety of factors, including overfishing and habitat destruction due to the construction of hydroelectric dams.
==Nomenclature== Pseudoplatystoma is a monophyletic genus of catfishes. P. fasciatum was the first species to be described, under the name Siluris fasciatus. In 1829, P. corruscans was described under the name Platystoma corruscans, and over a decade later, P. tigrinum was described as Platystoma tigrinum. In 1862, Pseudoplatystoma was described and these species transferred to it, with P. fasciatum as type species.