Loricariidae

Hemiodontichthys acipenserinus

Hemiodontichthys acipenserinus

Thirteen Point Four Centimeters Catfish of South American Waters

• Tropical
• Southern Hemisphere
• Regional distribution
• Freshwater fish
• South America
• Small
• Tropical fish

Hemiodontichthys is a monotypic genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Loricariidae, the suckermouth armored catfishes, and the subfamily Loricariinae, the mailed catfishes. The only species in this genus is Hemiodontichthys acipenserinus, also known as the Pinocchio whiptail catfish, Pinocchio catfish, Pinocchio cat or the knob-nosed whiptail. This shy, bottom-dwelling catfish is native to the Guianas, Brazil, Bolivia and Perú in South America.