Acanthopoma annectens | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Siluriformes |
Family: | Trichomycteridae |
Subfamily: | Stegophilinae |
Genus: |
Acanthopoma Lütken, 1892 |
Species: | A. annectens
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Binomial name | |
Acanthopoma annectens
Lütken, 1892
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Acanthopoma annectens is a species of catfish ( order Siluriformes) of the family Trichomycteridae, and the only species of the genus Acanthopoma. [2] This fish grows to about 12 centimetres (4.7 in) SL. It originates from the upper and middle Amazon River, and is known to occur in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. [3] This species is parasitic, attacking like a leech and leaving wounds all over the fish which it attacks; it spreads a bundle of opercular and inter-opercular spines into the wound and remains there and is difficult to remove. It may invade parts of wading or swimming animals but apparently exist in these passages only for a short while, as they quickly die from a lack of oxygen. [3]