Observation of the Catfish Chaetostoma microps Climbing in a Cave in Tena, Ecuador

By

Hoese, Geoffrey
Addison, Aaron
Toulkeridis, Theofilos
Toomey, Rickard

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2015

Original Publication

Subterranean Biology

Volume

15

Pages

29-35

Subjects

catfish , Ecuador , Karstic caves

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.15.4809

 

Abstract

As part of a mapping and preliminary flora and fauna inventory of hypogean life in caves, developed in Cretaceous limestones in the sub-andean zone of Ecuador, we were able to observe a number of catfish climbing a steep flowstone waterfall in the dark zone of a cave. The waterfall was a minor infeeder to the small stream that flowed through the cave. On investigation the fish were determined to be Chaetostoma microps Günther, 1864 (SiluriformesLoricariidae), a detritivorous–herbivorous neotropical freshwater catfish, endemic to the upper reaches of the Amazon basin in Ecuador. We document the observation of this species exhibiting climbing behavior as well as the first observation of the family exhibiting climbing behavior in a cave. We also document the sympatry of this species and Astroblepus pholeter Collette, 1962 (SiluriformesAstroblepidae).