Atipa
Hoplosternum littorale
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The atipa has the widest range in its family: all of South America east of the Andes, from the Orinoco and Trinidad to northern Argentina. It lives in swamps and oxygen-poor still waters and breathes air through its intestine. It eats insect larvae and bottom detritus. When breeding, the larger male develops a curved, reddish pectoral spine. It is an important food fish. It reaches about 24 centimetres.
- Scientific name
- Hoplosternum littorale
- Family
- Callichthyidae
Fact sheet
General
- Water
- Freshwater
- Group
- Fish
Taxonomy
- Family
- Callichthyidae
- Order
- Siluriformes
- Synonyms
- Callichthys albidus, Callichthys chiquitos, Callichthys laevigatus, Callichthys littoralis, Callichthys melampterus, Callichthys subulatus, Cascadura maculocephala, Cataphractops melampterus, Hoplosternum laevigatum, Hoplosternum littorale daillyi, Hoplosternum littoralis daillyi, Hoplosternum schreineri, Hoplosternum shirui, Hoplosternum stevardii, Hoplosternum thoracatum cayennae
Origin
- Native region
- América do Sul, América do Norte
Water
- Temperature
- 18–26 °C
Size and lifespan
- Adult size
- 26.3 cm
- Lifespan
- 4 years
Behavior
- Swimming level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Carnivore
Conservation and trade
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
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