agamyxis pectinifrons , the spotted talking catfish , spotted raphael catfish or whitebarred catfish , is a species of thorny catfish found in the amazon basin where it has been recorded from bolivia , brazil , colombia and peru .

this species grows to a length of 15 centimetres ( 5.9 in ) sl .

agamyxis pectinifrons

agamyxis : with ( very ) much slime . pectinifrons : with a comb on the forehead , ( probably refers to the toothed dorsal fin spine . )
table 1 . states with nonindigenous occurrences , the earliest and latest observations in each state , and the tally and names of hucs with observations† . names and dates are hyperlinked to their relevant specimen records . the list of references for all nonindigenous occurrences of agamyxis pectinifrons are found here .
agamyxis : from the greek agan , meaning much , and myxa , meaning mucus ; in reference to the mucus produced by the fish .
fuller , p . , 2018 , agamyxis pectinifrons ( cope , 1870 ) : u . s . geological survey , nonindigenous aquatic species database , gainesville , fl , urltoken revision date : 3 / 1 / 2009 , peer review date : 4 / 1 / 2016 , access date : 7 / 9 / 2018
his month we concentrate on a very weird member of the doradidae family , namely the
spotted talking catfish
agamyxis pectinifrons . this catfish has been in the hobby for many years and is sometimes overlooked in the quest for the more gaudy colours of the members of the loricariidae family , i . e . the l - numbers , but as you can see in the picture below it can even rival them in the colourful stakes .
there are two species in this genus , the aforementioned a . pectinifrons and a . albomaculatus ( peters , 1877 ) . a . pectinifrons is found in ecuador and peru while a . albomaculatus is only found in venezuela . there is not a great deal of differences as far as i can see in the 2 species apart from maybe albomaculatus being a bit slimmer and having more spots . there also seems to be a different pattern in the caudal fin . the first thing you notice is the weird shape reminiscent of the
hunchback of notre dam
and old specimens can get very hunchbacked in their advancing years . this is a very long lived species with reports of 17 years longevity and are very hardy to boot ! .
doradids are often referred to collectively as ‘talking catfishes’ in reference to the fact that many of them are able to produce audible sounds . in some genera ( e . g . acanthodoras , agamyxis ) these are produced via stridulation of the pectoral spines within their sockets , with the pelvic girdle possibly involved in projection of the resultant noise . the ‘elastic - spring apparatus’ is also used to produce sound , this comprising a highly - specialised arrangement of the parapophyses of the fourth vertebrae , the swim bladder plus associated muscles and ligaments .
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a basic setup for the
spotted talking catfish
would be a not too brightly lit aquarium with bogwood or equivalent for them to hide away in the roots or in the crevices of carefully stacked stonework . substrate is not a great issue with either rounded gravel or sand . a regime of monthly water changes should keep this catfish happy for many years .
it is very nocturnal as are most members of this family and you must be aware of their pectoral spines as they can lock them and if your fingers are in the road it can be mighty painful ! . if catching this species for any reason you must not use a net as their spines will get hopelessly entangled . a better method is to lower a container to scoop it up in . if you must handle this fish , make sure that you grasp it forward of the pectoral spines in the head area . in common with most of the doradidae family when out of the water , it can create a sound by grating its fin bones in each socket and amplifying the noise via the swim bladder , which is one reason why it commands the common name of the spotted talking catfish
d 1 / 5 ; a 1 / 11 ; p1 / 5 . dorsal spine toothed on both anterior and posterior surfaces . spinous scutes confined to the posterior half of the body . 3 pairs of barbels . caudal shape , truncate .
dark brown to blue - black , with numerous pale blotches / spots on the head and body . underside somewhat paler , similarly marked . fins dark , with pale stripes and spots which may run together to form transverse bars . old individuals are almost uniformly dark brown with white blotches on the belly .
good community catfish although very nocturnal . may eat very small fish or fry on night time forages .
no reports on the breeding of this species in captivity but may lay its eggs in floating plants in its natural habitat .
a good practice is to drop tablet food at dusk , in the area where it resides . it will eat a wide variety of foods including flake , and frozen foods such as bloodworm .
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this is another fish that can destroy a good net when attempting to transfer them . although it can be a bit painful , it is possible to move this fish by hand . this is best practiced with small fish and rubber gloves initially , but seasoned pros can literally pluck these fish from underneath a rock . you must get a finger between each pectoral fin and the catfishes body with your thumb above the head . due to a reflex driven defensive mechanism the fish will lock its pectoral fins , trapping your fingers ! i recall reading that this action is used by the fish when caught to make itself as difficult to swallow as possible . the fish will remain locked to your fingers until you transfer it and submerge it once again when it will release and dart off to the nearest dark refuge .
whether you transfer the fish by this or more conventional methods you will probably hear why it is called a talking catfish during the transfer . the fish emits a high pitched croaking noise which can be surprisingly loud . the fish achieves this by grinding the base of its pectoral fin bone against its shoulder bone ; much like the noise you can make by grinding your teeth , but louder ! most , if not all , of the 80 - 100 members of the family can
talk
in this manner . amongst these are some true giants ( 4ft + ) which i would very much like to hear .
copyright information for the images used in this article can be found on the species ' full cat - elog page .
150mm or 5 . 9
sl . find near , nearer or same sized spp .
the light coloured spots that make this fish so attractive range from brilliant white to pale yellow in different batches of imports .
will eat any food that reaches it . bloodworm and sinking catfish tablets are best as they can be ' ' aimed ' ' at the fishes daytime hide - out .
needs a dark refuge , but smaller individuals will spend the day in dense vegetation just as happily .
some details , although sketchy . seems to be a bubble nest builder or at least lay its eggs on floating vegetation at the water surface .
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the type locality is given as ‘pebas , equador’ by cope ( 1870 ) but this apparently refers to the settlement of the same name located east of the city of iquitos in loreto region , northern peru , an area once disputably claimed by ecuador . the precise extent of its natural range is a little unclear , though it appears restricted to parts of the amazon basin in bolivia , brazil , colombia and peru .
this species is found in various habitat - types but shows a preference for slow - moving or still waters with an abundance of submerged or floating structures , among which it conceals itself during daylight hours . the whitewater caño yarina , a tributary of the río pacaya located close to the confluence of the ríos marañon and ucayali represents a typical biotope . the main channel is around 100 m wide although the surrounding terrain is inundated for the majority of the year with a short period of low water between july and september with flooded forest comprising 85 % of the area . where there is open water , around 40 % of it is covered by ‘floating meadows’ consisting of rafts of macrophytes which tend to form most thickly around lake and stream margins .
the conditions in caño yarina are typical of amazonian whitewaters with dissolved sediment reducing visibility and the water stained darker during the high water period due to decomposing organic materials . plant species involved in the formation of floating meadows mostly include polygonium sp . , pistia stratiotes , eichhornia crassipes , paspalum sp . and an unidentified leguminous species , with others including unidentified members of the genera azolla , neptunia , ludwigia , salvinia , utricularia and echinochloeta .
during an expedition conducted by the swedish museum of natural history in 1981 this species was collected from a ‘ floating meadow ‘ near pebas alongside numerous other species including bunocephalus coracoideus , trachelyopterus galeatus , lepthoplosternum altamazonicum , anadoras grypus , oxydoras niger , pterodoras granulosus , leiarius marmoratus , sorubim elongatus , pseudorinelepis genibarbis , apistogramma agassizii , a . eunotus , apistogrammoides pucallpaensis , cichlasoma amazonarum , heros efasciatus , hypselecara temporalis , mesonauta mirificus , prochilodus nigricans and rivulus ornatus plus unidentified species of farlowella , pimelodus , pyrrhulina , mylossoma and gymnotus .
best maintained in a dimly - lit set - up with a soft , sandy substrate and plenty of cover in the form of aquatic vegetation , tangles of driftwood or artificial caves of some kind . bright lighting isn’t really appreciated since this species is largely nocturnal by nature .
this species is an omnivorous generalist and will accept most commonly - encountered prepared and frozen foods . a varied diet comprising good quality , dried , sinking pellets or tablets supplemented by regular meals of live or frozen bloodworm , tubifex , mosquito larvae , etc . is ideal , and the occasional whole or chopped earthworm will provide valuable additional protein .
non - aggressive though adult individuals may consume very small fishes . it makes an excellent addition to a medium - to - large - sized community of amazonian species alongside peaceful characins , cichlids and other catfishes , for example . it’s gregarious by nature so will display more natural behaviour when kept in a group of 4 or more specimens , though can be maintained individually if you wish , and it will also group together with similarly - looking relatives such as platydoras armatulus , acanthodoras spinosissimus , and amblydoras hancockii .
no reports of breeding in the hobby other than via the use of hormones to artificially induce the process .
this species , which may also be referred to by the alternative vernacular names ‘spotted raphael’ , ‘white - spotted’ or ‘white - barred’ catfish , is very common in the trade and despite its adult size is recommended to beginners and experienced aquarists alike since it is hardy , attractive and relatively - long - lived . the light body markings are highly variable in terms of exact placement and may be either white or pale to darkish yellow in colour .
it is very similar in appearance to the congener a . albomaculatus with the most useful distinguishing character seemingly represented by collection locality since the latter is known only from the río orinoco drainage in venezuela . both species are probably sold under the same trade names .
members of the family doradidae can be distinguished from all other siluriformes by possession of a unique infranuchal scute , a dermal bone consisting of an elongate plate formed by expansion of a ligament located between the posterior nuchal plate and the rib on the sixth vertebra . this feature is associated with the lateral line canal and represents the first in a series of prominent midlateral scutes exhibited by most doradids . there are two major lineages recognised within the family , one with simple barbels and a comparatively flattened head , the other with fimbriate barbels and a relatively deep head .
within the order siluriformes doradids are most closely related to the family auchenipteridae , most commonly referred to as ‘driftwood’ catfishes by aquarists , and these two were grouped together in the superfamily doradoidea by sullivan et al . ( 2006 ) . in their molecular phylogenetic analysis doradoidea appeared to form a sister group pairing with the family aspredinidae ( banjo catfishes ) with this constituting a significant departure from earlier hypotheses in which the african family mochokidae and asian sisoridae were assumed to be most closely - associated with doradids and aspredinids , respectively . the authors stopped short of naming this putative aspredinidae - doradoidea clade , for the time being at least , ostensibly because certain prominent theories of fish biogeography would require substantial re - assessment if it were accepted .
take care when netting doradids for any reason since the pectoral fin spines and body scutes easily become entangled in the mesh of standard aquarium nets and can break human skin in many cases .
cope , e . d . 1870 - proceedings of the american philosophical society 11 : 559 - 570 contribution to the ichthyology of the marañon .
correa , s . b . , w . g . r . crampton , l . j . chapman and j . s . albert . 2008 - journal of fish biology 72 : 629–644 a comparison of flooded forest and floatingmeadow fish assemblages in an upper amazon floodplain .
ferraris , c . j . , jr . 2007 - zootaxa 1418 : 1 - 628 checklist of catfishes , recent and fossil ( osteichthyes : siluriformes ) , and catalogue of siluriform primary types .
ortega , h . and r . p . vari . 1986 - smithsonian contributions to zoology 437 annotated checklist of the freshwater fishes of peru .
reis , r . e . , s . o . kullander and c . j . ferraris , jr . 2003 - in : checklist of the freshwater fishes of south and central america doradidae ( thorny catfishes ) .
swedish museum of natural history . 1999 - ichthyology section , department of vertebrate zoology , swedish museum of natural history , stockholm , sweden . nrm ichthyology collection database .
greek , agamai = to admire , to astonish + greek , myxo = mucus ( ref . 45335 )
freshwater ; demersal ; ph range : 5 . 8 - 7 . 5 ; dh range : ? - 20 . tropical ; 20°c - 26°c ( ref . 1672 )
maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 15 . 0 cm sl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 37054 )
sabaj , m . h . and c . j . ferraris jr . , 2003 . doradidae ( thorny catfishes ) . p . 456 - 469 . in r . e . reis , s . o . kullander and c . j . ferraris , jr . ( eds . ) checklist of the freshwater fishes of south and central america . porto alegre : edipucrs , brasil . ( ref . 37054 )
phylogenetic diversity index ( ref . 82805 ) : pd 50 = 0 . 7500 [ uniqueness , from 0 . 5 = low to 2 . 0 = high ] .
bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 01413 ( 0 . 00605 - 0 . 03300 ) , b = 3 . 01 ( 2 . 81 - 3 . 21 ) , in cm total length , based on lwr estimates for this ( sub ) family - body shape ( ref . 93245 ) .
trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 2 . 8 ±0 . 4 se ; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
resilience ( ref . 69278 ) : high , minimum population doubling time less than 15 months ( preliminary k or fecundity . ) .
vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low vulnerability ( 19 of 100 ) .
an unusual species of catfish that despite its look makes a peaceful community species for larger sized fish .
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we have two large iridescent sharks we are looking to find another home for . our tank is too small and they are very large . do you have a big tank ? do you know they can grow 3 - 4 feet ? where are you located ?
looking for medaka rice fish . what ever species you may have for sale .
i ' m looking to but a balloon kissing gourami . any idea where i can get one ?
i have one of these spotted raphael catfish . i never knew what he was until this evening after searching online . i ' ve had him for ten or more years . we ' ve always . . . ( more ) nikki
is a very pretty fish . the body is a dark brown to blackish color adorned with an irregular pattern of small spots that can range from brilliant white to pale yellow . the fins are dark too , with both spots and stripes that may run together forming crosswise bars . this striking white - on - black patterning makes it very attractive and desirable , yet no two look fish look exactly the same !
this fish is a member of the doradidae family . due to its spotted appearance and its ability to vocalize it ' s also commonly known as the spotted talking catfish . it will produces sounds ,
croaks
or
clicks ,
by rubbing its pectoral fins across grooves in the shoulder , usually heard when removing it from its tank . a few other descriptive common names it is known by include white spotted talking catfish , white spotted doradid , white - spot dorydid , talking catfish , and thorny catfish .
the doradidae family as a group is known as thorny catfish , which is actually a very appropriate descriptive name . they are tough skinned catfish with a well - developed nuchal shield in front of the dorsal fin and bony lumps , forming thorny scutes , along the lateral line . this family is also called
talking catfish
because they can produce audible sounds by rotating their pectoral spines in their sockets . this particular doradid catfish is also one of the
rafael catfish
. another well known rafael is the
the spotted raphael catfish is very hardy and tolerant of most water conditions . it makes a great choice for a beginner or any other aquarist . being nocturnal , it is a bit shy and will look for a nice comfortable hiding place during the day . like the raphael catfish , it likes to burrow in the soft river bottom in the wild , so provide a corner of fine gravel or sand . they also like to wedge themselves into tight spaces , so some hiding places in the hollows of roots or driftwood are appreciated .
they will not harm plants , in fact some floating plant cover will help keep the tank dimly lit , which keeps them happy . if plants are provided , as juveniles they will spend their day in the vegetation . they will start to come out in the evening as it gets dark , to scavenge along the bottom of the tank for tasty morsels . to get the best viewing of these fish , you can add some moonlight led ' s to the tank and watch this little cleaner come to life .
the spotted raphael is a peaceful catfish and does well in a community aquarium . its an excellent companion with most other medium to large fish , only very small fish may get snacked on . with its armored thorny protection it can even be kept with more aggressive tankmates . south and central american cichlids , larger characins , pimelodus , and trichogaster are all good choices . it can be kept singly , but in the wild this is a gregarious species , and a group of 4 or more can be happily kept in a good sized aquarium . it will also school with similar looking catfish relatives .
thorny catfish have a strong first spine on their pectoral fins , which can be used as a defensive weapon . they tend to stick out these side spines out in a very rigid manner , especially when stressed . to catch them it ' s best to use a glass container or plastic bag as these spines can easily get caught in a net . trying to get them untangled is not only stressful , but a bit dangerous . a prick from the spines of this fish is quite painful !
was described by cope in 1870 . they are found in the amazon basin , occurring in bolivia , brazil , colombia , and peru . they are not listed on the ucn red list of endangered species . other common names they are known by are spotted talking catfish , white spotted talking catfish , white spotted doradid , white - spot dorydid , talking catfish , and thorny catfish .
it is one of the
rafael catfish
. other rafael ' s include three almost identical striped species with each originating from different localities , the raphael catfish
it belongs to the doradidae family , which are known as thorny catfish . these are tough skinned catfish with a well - developed nuchal shield in front of the dorsal fin and bony lumps , forming thorny scutes , along the lateral line . this family is also called
talking catfish
because they can produce audible sounds by rotating their pectoral spines in their sockets . the doradidae family is by no means the only types of catfish that can make vocalizations , the squeaker catfish of the mochokidae family are also noted as being very vocal .
. unlike the spotted talking catfish , it is not suitable for a community aquarium as it will eat smaller fish . another is the painted talking catfish
. this is a very pretty with an almost paisley type design in its patterning , and it is also a very peaceful fish that does well in a community aquarium .
spotted raphael catfish are found in a variety of habitats but seem to be most comfortable in slow to still moving water with a lot of plants and roots for concealment . during the rainy season these fish will normally migrate into the flooded food rich forests . in the wild they feed on crustaceans , worms , insects , and plant matter .
groups - they are gregarious in nature and will school with their own kind and with other similar - looking relatives .
the spotted raphael catfish have a cylindrical , arrow - shaped body with a flattened belly . females are more full bodied than males . they can reach up to 5 . 9 inches ( 15 cm ) in length . they are known to have a lifespan of about 10 years , however hobbyists have reported them living up to 15 to 20 years .
these catfish have a large head with small eyes . the mouth is large and there are three pairs of barbels , one on the upper jaw and two on the lower . as with all in its genus , they are tough skinned catfish with a well - developed nuchal shield in front of the dorsal fin . bony bony lumps form thorny scutes along the lateral line .
the dorsal fin stands erect and they have a strong first spine on their pectoral fins . they are called
talking catfish
because they have the ability to produce audible sounds by rubbing their pectoral fins across grooves in the shoulder . this sound is amplified by the swim bladder . croaks or clicks will often be heard when removing them from their tank .
the pectoral spines can be extended out to the side in a very rigid manner and be used as a defensive weapon . these spines can easily become entangled in a net . untangling them is stressful to the fish and a bit dangerous for the keeper , as a prick from these spines can be quite painful .
the body color is a dark brown to bluish - black with an irregular pattern of small spots that can range from brilliant white to pale yellow . the fins are dark too , with both spots and stripes that may run together forming crosswise bars . their bellies are normally lighter in color with similar spots . as these catfish age they become more of a solid darker color with a white underside . no two look fish look exactly the alike .
. in fact these two are so similar in looks that to distinguish them , you need to know where they are collected . the spotted raphael is from the amazon basin in bolivia , brazil , colombia and peru , while the spiny catfish has a very restricted occurrence , known only from the río orinoco drainage in venezuela .
10 years - they have an average lifespan of 10 years , however in captivity they have been known to live as much as 15 to 20 years .
the spotted raphael catfish is fairly hardy , making it a great choice for a beginning fish keeper . they are fairly small and and not very picky about what they eat . these are bottom scavengers that do a great job cleaning the tank .
their water requirements are very easy to meet and their temperament is of a peaceful nature , making them good community fish . there is not usually much of a need to upgrade to a bigger tank as much as it is with some of the larger catfish , unless you want to increase the number of fish you ' re keeping . they do have sharp spines on the dorsal fins and so should be transported using a glass or plastic container rather than a net .
the spotted raphael catfish are omnivores and not fussy terms of feeding . in the wild they will feed on a variety of crustaceans , worms , insects , and plant matter . they are bottom feeders , and in the aquarium they will eat any food that reaches them . feed them daily , being nocturnal they prefer to be fed right before or after the lights are turned off on the aquarium .
to keep a good balance give them high quality sinking pellets everyday , along with freeze - dried bloodworms and tubifex . they will also eat all kinds of live , frozen , and prepared foods , including flakes , that have sunk to the bottom . protein foods are important for them , so the occasional whole or chopped earthworm is good as a regular treat . they will eat snails , so can be employed to clean up a snail overpopulation , as long as the aquarium ' s conditions are suitable for this fish .
omnivore - they do eat some plant matter in the wild , but protein is the main staple of their diet .
yes - they will eat any foods that reach the bottom of the aquarium .
daily - this fish is nocturnal and prefers to be fed right before or after lights out in the aquarium .
these are hardy fish that tolerate most water conditions . in the wild the shallow flood waters of its homeland can cool off drastically at night , and they then tolerate temperatures as low as to 15° c for a short period . but extremes should be avoided in the aquarium to avoid stress and illness .
they are very low maintenance and their tank only requires water changes of 30 % a month . there really isn ' t much that needs to be done for the easy going catfish . this is one of the catfish that have sharp spines not only on the dorsal fins but on the pectoral fin as well . it is better to capture them in a glass or plastic container for transport .
monthly - these low maintenance fish only require water changes of 30 % a month .
the spotted raphael catfish are moderately sized fish . they need a minimum sized tank of 35 gallons , with 45 gallons or more being better . they tend to be nocturnal , getting most active in the evening and nighttime when they come out to scavenge for food . they may seem shy during the day , spending much of their time hiding , but once they are comfortable they will come out for a swim around . as with most catfish they enjoy well oxygenated waters and this can be accomplished using an undergravel filter and a powerhead . they prefer slightly acid water with low hardness .
provide a dimly lit setup with hiding places . plants , twisted roots , and driftwood are the best decor . they will not harm plants and will appreciate some in floating cover as well , to help reduce the light . when young they tend to hide in dense vegetation , but they also like to wedge themselves into tight crevices and to burrow . provide a sandy or fine gravel bottom with at least one corner without plants .
35 gal ( 132 l ) - a 35 gallon tank is minimum , but 45 gallons or more is better , especially for a larger community .
the spotted raphael catfish are peaceful bottom scavengers . they are a good community fish and are friendly with other medium to large community tank mates , avoid fish that are so small they could be considered food . they can be kept singly , but they have a gregarious nature and enjoy being in groups of 4 or more . they will also school with similar looking catfish relatives . with its armored thorny protection it usually be kept with more aggressive tankmates . south and central american cichlids , larger characins , pimelodus , and trichogaster are all good choices .
no - although not venomous , the spotted raphael catfish is armed with a set of spines sharp enough to do damage to the aquarists hand .
yes - this fish is gregarious and enjoys the company of its own kind , keeping 4 or more is recommended .
monitor - can usually be kept with semi - aggressive and even aggressive fish such as cichlids .
threat - is aggressive - the raphael catfish are sometimes used to rid an aquarium of snails .
the spotted raphael catfish has rarely been bred in captivity other than artificially with the use of hormones . some spawning success has said to have happened , but reported as being accidental and there is little information is available .
it is believed that they may be a bubble nest builders in nature , with eggs laid among floating plants . it has been reported that other species of small doradidae could be called nest builders . in the tank they may gather up general debris or find an area with old leaf litter and tidbits of wood , and try to hide beneath it . then other fish of the same species will tend to swim around this
nest .
but whether they had a successful spawn has not been reported . for information on the breeding of catfish in the aquarium , see : breeding freshwater fish : catfish .
the spotted raphael catfish are fairly hardy when mature , but are subject to the same diseases as other tropical fish . disease is not usually a problem in a well maintained aquarium and these catfish are very resilient . the most common problem that happens to this fish are injuries from netting and transportation . take great caution when catching and removing this fish . high nitrate levels can also cause these catfish to develop infected barbels ; this makes it difficult for them to navigate and eat normally . maintain nitrate levels below 20 ppm through regular water changes .
because they are a scaleless fish , catfish can be treated with pimafix or melafix but should not be treated with potassium permanganate or copper based medications . malachite green or formalin can be used at one half to one fourth the recommended dosage . take care when treating disease as the
the best way to proactively prevent disease is to give your fish the proper environment and give them a well balanced diet . the closer to their natural habitat the less stress the fish will have , making them healthier and happy . a stressed fish will is more likely to acquire disease . anything you add to your tank can bring disease to your tank . not only other fish but plants , substrate , and decorations can harbor bacteria . properly clean or quarantine anything that you add to an established tank so not to add new diseases to the tank . for information about fish diseases and illnesses , see aquarium fish diseases and treatments .
the spotted raphael catfish , also commonly called the spotted talking catfish , is readily available at pet stores and online , and is reasonable in price .
lee finley , catfishes : the complete guide to the successful care and breeding of more than 100 catfish species , t . f . h publications , inc . 2003
dr . rüdiger riehl and hans a . baensch , aquarium atlas vol . 1 , publisher hans a . baensch , 1991
i have one of these spotted raphael catfish . i never knew what he was until this evening after searching online . i ' ve had him for ten or more years . we ' ve always called him the screamer because he would screw when taken out of the water . anyway , this guy , or girl ? , has literally lived it ' s entire life inside a ceramic hide . it would grow too fat to get out , we ' d break it out eventually and it would go into another one . it ' s never swam around . the other dy we broke him out again and made sure there wasn ' t anything else for him to get stuck in . i ' m interested to see if he starts to swim around finally . he is currently snug between some rocks . he can definitely get out though if he wants .
they don ' t move around much during the day . i ' ve had a striped raphael for quite a long time and got the spotted one a year ago . they hide all day until night . i thought for sure my spotted one was stuck in a piece of driftwood . i tried like hell to get him out but couldn ' t . two nights later after i feed the tank and turned lights off here he comes wiggling out of the wood . i used to have ceramic hides but a friend of mines striped cut his soft belly on a one and got an infection and died so now i only use driftwood and rocks ( smooth ) .
i have a raphael and he is indeed my favorite fish . believe it or not , i have had him for more than 30 years ! ! i bought him as a tiny baby about 1980 . he has outlived all other tankmates and even a disasterous event that killed every other fish in the tank for an unknown reason . he is quite large and loves to hide in a cave all the time . does anyone know how long these fish live ?
at least two years prior to giving him to me . i gave my community tank to my brother when i went away to college . all his fish died except for the raphael . he then gave him to a neighbor who had a large cichlid tank . the neighbors fish all died except for the raphael . by this time i had moved back to the area and took the fish back . he ' s been doing great ever since . there have been a few times when i was moving him that i thought he was dead , since he did not swim or move at all , and he just layed upside down at the bottom of the bucket . seems like he was in some kind of suspended animation . this is my favorite fish , even though he doesn ' t move much during the day . he ' s had hundreds of tank mates over the last two decades and he ' s outlasted them all .
update , 9 years later and my spotted raphael is still going strong . he is at least 27 years old now . he still perks up whenever i drop food in the tank and he seems as healthy as ever . it ' s amazing that an aquarium fish can live this long .
hi community ! my spotted raphael was purchased in chico ca when i was a whole three years old . she ' s still doing strong to this day , which surprised be at first , considering i ' m currently 22 and i ' ve moved states twice .
knowing nothing about keeping a fish , i kept her in a 20 gallon tank her whole life with a log in the back , with enough room to enter / exit from either side . she ' s roughly four and a half inches long and very fat .
she ' s extremely social , has never attacked my water snails or clams ( large invasive canal snails / clams ) , and always , without fail , eats anything i drop next to her log - even during the day . she ' s currently 20 years old and stil going strong .
i really think it ' s due time the article be updated to show they live at least an average of 15 / 20 years , considering the other comments i ' ve read . anyway they ' re amazing fish , and having read the comments and article , i ' ll be upgrading to a 45 gallon tank and attempt to find another spotted raphael for her to be friends with .
thank you for your story , and the great info . we have updated the article to include the longer lifespan that is possible in captivity .
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special publication of the center for biodiversity research and information , no . 1 , vol 1 - 3
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
the nonindigenous occurrences section of the nas species profiles has a new structure . the section is now dynamically updated from the nas database to ensure that it contains the most current and accurate information . occurrences are summarized in table 1 , alphabetically by state , with years of earliest and most recent observations , and the tally and names of drainages where the species was observed . the table contains hyperlinks to collections tables of specimens based on the states , years , and drainages selected . references to specimens that were not obtained through sighting reports and personal communications are found through the hyperlink in the table 1 caption or through the individual specimens linked in the collections tables .
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citation information : u . s . geological survey . [ 2018 ] . nonindigenous aquatic species database . gainesville , florida . accessed [ 7 / 9 / 2018 ] .
contact us if you are using data from this site for a publication to make sure the data are being used appropriately and for potential co - authorship if warranted . for queries involving fish , please contact pam fuller . for queries involving invertebrates , contact amy benson .
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aquascaping - aquarium ideas from petfair 2013 , łódź , poland , pt . 6
it is not possible to visually sex this fish and there have been no records of it being bred in captivity .
this fish is generally peaceful towards similar sized or larger fish but can pose a threat to smaller fish .
this fish is generally nocturnal , young fish may venture out during the day for food but will otherwise remain hidden until after dark .
typical thorny catfish shape , dark base colour covered with attractive small light - coloured spots . these spots range from bright white to pale yellow .
this page was last edited on 13 december 2017 , at 03 : 04 .
content is available under creative commons attribution - sharealike 3 . 0 unported license unless otherwise noted .
freshwater ; demersal ; ph range : 5 . 8 - 7 . 5 ; dh range : ? - 20 . tropical ; 20°c - 26°c ( ref . 1672 ) , preferred ?
opening hours monday - thursday : 7 . 00 am - 14 . 30 pm friday : closed
the spotted raphael catfish is also called the
talking catfish
. this is because it seems to ' talk ' when you take it out of the aquarium ! ( actually it ' croaks ' or ' clicks ' faintly when it ' talks ' . )
this fish is peaceful and does well in a community aquarium . being nocturnal , the spotted raphael catfish or talking catfish is a bit shy and will look for a nice comfortable hiding place during the day .
the spotted raphael catfish , like the striped raphael , likes to burrow in the soft river bottom so provide a corner of fine gravel or sand . they also like some plant cover and hiding places like the hollows of roots . they will not harm plants .
it is best to catch the spotted raphael catfish or talking catfish with a glass rather than a net as they are prone to sticking out their side spines in a very rigid manner when they are stressed . they can easily get caught in a net . not only is it difficult on both the fish and you when you try to get them untangled , it is also a bit dangerous . a prick from the spines of this fish is quite painful !


motobdella montezuma is a species of leech which is only found in montezuma well , central arizona , united states .

it is a nocturnal pelagic predator that feeds almost exclusively on the endemic amphipod hyalella montezuma , which it detects using passive sonar and swallows whole .

motobdella montezuma

phylogenetic relationships of three genera of erpobdellidae ( hirudinoidea ) , with a description of a new genus , motobdella , and species , motobdella sedonensis .
hyalella montezuma , a new species ( crustacea : amphipoda ) from montezuma well , arizona .
govedich , f . r . , d . blinn , p . keim , and r . w . davies . 1998 . phylogenetic relationships of three genera of erpobdellidae ( hirudinoidea ) , with a description of a new genus , motobdella , and species , motobdella sedonensis . canadian journal of zoology 76 : 2164 - 2171 .
leech , glossiphoniidae , helobdella blinni sp . n . , new species , montezuma well
, the well and montezuma castle preserve extraordinary examples of prehistoric sinagua cliff dwelling sites .
- and watkins , r . c . 1977 . hyalella montezuma a new species ( crustecea : amphipoda ) from montezuma well , arizona . - hydrobiologia 52 : 175 - 184 .
montezuma well ( mowe ) became a detached unit of montezuma castle national monument in 1943 to protect the
objects of scientific interest
located there . nps interpretation of montezuma well focuses on three major scientific themes : native american prehistory , water chemistry , and unique biology .
erpobdella montezuma ( hirudinoidea : erpobdellidae ) , a new species of freshwater leech from north america .
wagner vt , blinn dw . ( 1987 ) montezuma well : the living desert oasis . urltoken
yet other aquatic organisms flourish in their place . many of these other aquatic organisms are only found there , including the endemic leech motobdella montezuma . former northern arizona university ( nau ) professor dean blinn identified and documented the life - history of many of these endemic organisms in the 1980s and 1990s including 12 undescribed species of :
proclaimed the montezuma castle national monument on december 8 , 1906 , including 840 acres on and around montezuma well . after passage of the national park service organic act in 1916 , the monument was transferred to the newly formed national park service .
montezuma well is a limestone sinkhole in the verde valley . arsenic seeps naturally from the rocks , which makes the water toxic to most living things . a research team at northern arizona university discovered the montezuma well leech has a unique way of dealing with arsenic .
location of helobdella blinni sp . n . a the northeast side of montezuma well ; and b the swallet where the leeches were collected .
travertine : a mineral deposit of calcium carbonate that forms through precipitation in a hot spring , like montezuma well , or from the calcium - rich water on cave dripstones .
hevly , r . h . 1974 . recent paleoenvironments and geological history of montezuma well . - j . ariz . acad . sci . 9 : 66 - 75 .
blinn , d . w . , dehdashti , b . , runck , c . , and davies , r . w . ( 1990 ) . the importance of prey size and density in an endemic predator - prey couple ( leech erpobdella montezuma - amphipod hyalella montezuma ) . j . anim . ecol . , 59 : 187 - 192 .
- and barry , w . t . 1973 . montezuma well , arizona , as a habitat . - j . ariz . acad . sci . 8 : 7 - 13 .
a leech occupies the top spot in the food chain at montezuma well near camp verde . surprisingly , its body contains the highest level of arsenic ever recorded in a living organism .
govedich , f . r . , blinn , d . w . , keim , p . , and davies , r . w . ( 1998 ) . phylogenetic relationships of three genera of erpobdellidae ( hirudinoidea ) , with a description of a new genus ( motobdella ) and species , m , sedonensis . can . j . zool . , 76 ( 12 ) : 2164 - 2171 .
pelagic : living in or relating to open water , especially surface waters to the middle depths . this would be away from the shore of montezuma well where the leeches feed on the amphipod at night .
endemic : indigenous to , and restricted to , a particular area . the leech and amphipod studied are endemic to montezuma well , meaning they ' re found only in this location and nowhere else on earth .
batchelder , g . l . 1974 . postpluvial ecology of montezuma well , yavapai co . , arizona . - final rep . arizona archaeol . ctr . , nat . park serv . p . 18 .
usa , arizona : yavapai county , montezuma well ( 34 . 6491°n , 111 . 7522°w ( dd ) ) , aquatic system , under rocks , 10 june 2012 , r . k . beresic - perrins .
runck , c . and d . w . blinn . 1990 . population dynamics and secondary production by ranatra montezuma ( heteroptera : nepidae ) . journal of the north american benthological society 9 : 262 - 270 .
) . this location is thermally constant year - round ( 19–24˚c ) and is continuously replenished by two vents located at the well bottom . montezuma well is 0 . 76 ha in area and approximately 20 m deep . most of the shoreline drops off immediately into open water , except at the northeast corner where water drains through a shallow region called the “swallet” and empties into wet beaver creek which is located east of montezuma well ( fig .
usa : az : yavapai co . , montezuma well 34 . 6491°n , 111 . 7522°w ( dd ) , 10 . vi . 2010 , aquatic system , under rocks , rk beresic - perrins , holotype ( usnm )
montezuma well is a quiet but spectacular example of a large , limnocrene ( pool - forming ) spring . it is one of the best - studied springs ecosystems in the world , thanks in large measure to the dedicated research of
blinn , d . w . , davies , r . w . , and dehdashti , b . ( 1987 ) . specialized pelagic feeding by erpobdella montezuma ( hirudinea ) . holarctic ecol . , 10 : 235 - 240 .
fry , d . , b . obit , j . matson and s . m . shuster . 2007 . laboratory survivorship of leeches from montezuma well , arizona . iii undergraduate research expo , northern arizona university , flagstaff . pdf .
( 14 specimens ) usa : az yavapai co . , montezuma well 34 . 6491°n , 111 . 7522°w ( dd ) , 10 . vi . 2010 , aquatic system , under rocks , rk beresic - perrins , paratypes ( usnm )
- , singhal , r . n . and blinn , d . w . 1985 . erpobdella montezuma , a new freshwater leech from north america ( arizona , usa ) . - can . j . zool . 63 : 965 - 969 .
e . montezuma was collected from montezuma well on 11 different days to examine the seasonal diet of the leech . leeches ( 0 . 2 - 0 . 6 g wet wt . ) were collected in nets at different time intervals 2 hours prior and up to 6 hours after sunset on 8 dates and near sunrise on the remaining 3 dates . to sample various specimens and locations , different sampling techniques were used . petite dredges were used to collect specimens in sediment , vertical nets collected from the water column to quantify plankton prey , and net tows were used in the littoral zone to quantify potential prey in the vegetation . ( to make sure the scientists had all the information they needed , different types of collections at different locations were made at varying times in montezuma well . )
boucher , p . , blinn , d . w . and johnson , d . b . 1984 . phytoplankton ecology in an unusually stable environment ( montezuma well , arizona , u . s . a . ) . - hydrobiologia 119 : 149 - 160 .
davies , r . w . , r . n . singhal and d . w . blinn . 1985 . erpobdella montezuma ( hirudinoidea : erpobdellidae ) , a new species of freshwater leech from north america . canadian journal of zoology 63 : 065 - 969 .
beresic - perrins rk , govedich fr , banister k , bain ba , rose d , shuster sm ( 2017 ) helobdella blinni sp . n . ( hirudinida , glossiphoniidae ) a new species inhabiting montezuma well , arizona , usa . zookeys 661 : 137–155 . urltoken
littoral zone : the zone in a body of fresh water where light penetration to the bottom is sufficient for the growth of plants . this is where most of the aquatic plants grow in montezuma well and where the amphipods migrate to in the evening , from the pelagic zone .
in other words , the leeches are coated in a slimy toxic skin . foust said this is probably how they protect their internal organs . other top predators in montezuma well metabolize the toxin and get rid of it . unlike the leech , they have lower concentrations of arsenic than their prey .
davies , r . w . , singhal , r . n . , and blinn , d . w . ( 1985 ) . erpobdella montezuma ( hirudinoidea : erpobdellidae ) , a new species of freshwater leech from north america . can . j . zool . , 63 ( 4 ) : 965 - 969 .
the well was probably first seen by europeans during the 1583 spanish expedition of antonio de espejo , who described an abandoned pueblo ( likely montezuma castle ) and a pond ( likely montezuma well ) . a railroad survey in the mid - 1880s reported abandoned indian villages in the verde valley , but it was edgar mearns , a military physician stationed at fort verde , who in 1884 was the first scientist to see the site . the smithsonian institution took notice of the well , sending cosmos mindeleff in 1892 and jesse w . fewkes in 1895 to investigate . by 1930 , a total of 185 archaeological sites had been identified in the verde valley and surrounding plateau .
beresic - perrins , r . , d . rose , k . banister , f . govedich and s . shuster . 2013 . helobdella blinni ( hirudinoidea : glossiphoniidae ) a new species inhabiting montezuma well , arizona . society for integrative and comparative biology meeting , san francisco , ca usa , january 2013 . abstract . pdf .
montezuma well ' s significance is due , in part , to its unique water chemistry and ecosystem . as we continue to identify endemic species , we help define the well ' s unique environment and distinguish it from all other locations in the region and world . similarly , research provides invaluable insight into the development and evolution of the mowe ecosystem .
blinn , d . w . 2008 . the extreme environment , trophic structure , and ecosystem dynamics of a large , fishless desert spring : montezuma well , arizona . in stevens , l . e . and v . j . meretsky , editors . every last drop : ecology and conservation of aridlands springs in north america . university of arizona press , tucson , in press .
montezuma well—a collapsed carbonate caldron 368 feet across and 55 feet deep—lies at 3 , 618 feet elevation in the verde valley . its waters likely are derived from the southern colorado plateau just to the north , and undoubtedly have a lengthy and circuitous flow path . the springs well up from the bottom of a collapsed limestone sink and discharge through a natural tunnel at a rate of about 1 , 100 gallons per minute into
mowe ' s uniqueness includes a constant water temperature between 69 - 74 o f –cool in the summer and warm in the winter ; ducks love this and return every fall to bathe in their own spa . the well also has elevated levels of dissolved co 2 from the travertine and naturally occurring arsenic . due to these chemical properties , that include a lack of oxygen , fish cannot breathe in the well . there ' s even an anecdote from some of the first owners of montezuma well in the late 1800s , who tried to stock the well for fishing . in the morning all the poor fish were belly up , and the family none the richer .
from an ecosystem standpoint , the well’s vegetation supports a very large population of amphipods that serve as a prey base . by day , montezuma well’s predator assemblage is dominated by the small , red , desert firetail damselfly , as well as the water scorpion and giant water bug . by night , a horde of endemic leeches swarms up from the depths . the larval damselflies and waterbugs are visual predators in the dense pondweed vegetation around the pool’s periphery . leeches spend their days in the ooze at the bottom of the well , swimming to the surface to feed at night . both sets of predators feed on the endemic amphipod , which spends the day in moderately deep open water , avoiding direct sunlight and the predators in the peripheral vegetation . the amphipod moves to the outer margins of the weed beds at night to avoid predation by leeches .
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govedich , fredric r . , dean w . blinn , paul keim , and ronald w . davies
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
dean w . blinn , ronald w . davis and behrooz dehdashti northern arizona university
the range of prey species taken by freshwater predatory leeches is normally quite high and changes seasonally with prey availability . while leeches sometimes do ingest whole body prey , they more commonly suck out body fluids . when whole bodies are ingested the exoskeletons are normally quickly evacuated .
in collections taken for microscopic analysis of leech gut contents , animals were individually packaged and preserved to stop digestion . ( if the leeches were kept alive , they would continue to digest they food and the scientist wouldn ' t be able to accurately find out what they were eating . ) all visible prey in the dissected gut was counted for each animal .
amphipod : any small , flat - bodied crustacean of the order amphipoda , having one set of limps adapted for swimming and another for hopping . they look like tiny shrimp .
diel : pertaining to a 24 - hour period , a regular daily cycle . the leeches and amphipods follow one diel cycle .
mean : the average ; statistical term for the average of a series of values , calculated by adding together all of the values and dividing by the number of different values .
quantitative : numerical , or capable of being expressed in numbers ; derived from measurements or other numerical values , e . g . , 10 leeches .
blinn , d . w . and dehdashti , b . 1984 . the nocturnal feeding behaviour of erpobdella punctata ( hiudinoidea ) in a near thermally constant environment . - ( abstr . ) 47th annual meeting , am . soc . . limnol . oceangr . , vancouver , b . c . , p . 9 .
- , wagner , v . t . and grim , l . n . 1986 . surface sensilla on the predacious fresh - water leech eprobdella montezuama : possible importance in feeding . - trans . am . micros . soc . 105 : 21 - 30 .
cole , g . a . 1983 . textbook of limonolgy . - 3rd ed . c . v . mosby , co . , pp . 401 .
davies , r . w . 1969 . the production of antisera for detecting species triclad antigens in the gut of predators . - oikos 20 : 248 - 260 .
- and everett , r . p . 1975 . the feeding of four species of freshwater hirudinoidea in southern alberta . - verh . int . verein . limnol . 19 : 2816 - 2827 .
- , wrona , f . j . and everett , r . p . 1978 . a serological study of prey selection oby nephelopsis obscura verrill ( hirundinoidea ) . - can . j . zool . 56 : 587 - 591 .
- , wrona , f . j . and linton , l . 1979 . a serological study of prey selection by helobdella stagnalis ( hidrudinoidea ) . - j . anim . ecol . 48 : 181 - 194 .
- , wrona , f . j . and wikialis , j . 1981 . inter - and intraspecific analysis of the food niches of two sympatric species of erpobdellidae ( hirudinoidea ) in alberta , canada . - , oikos 37 : 105 - 111 .
elliott , j . m . 1973 . the diel pattern , drifting and food of the leech erobdella octoculuta ( l . ) ( hirudinea : erpobdellidae ) in a lake district stream . - j . anim . ecol . 42 : 451 - 461 .
feigenbaum , d . and reeve m . r . 1977 . prey detection in the chaetognatha : response to a vibrating probe and experimental determination of attack distance in large aquaria . - limnol . oceanogr . 22 : 1052 - 1058 . giguere , l . a . and dill , l . m . 1979 . the prey response of chaoborus larvae to acoustic stimuli , and the acoustic characteristics of their prey . - z . tierpsychol . 50 : 113 - 123 .
ivlev , v . s . 1961 . experimental ecology of the feeding fishes . - new haven , conneticut : yale univ . press .
kirk , k . l . 1985 . water flows produced by daphnia and diaptomous : implications for prey selection by mechanosensory predators . - limnol . oceanogr . 30 : 679 - 686 .
nations , j . d . , hevly , r . d . , landye , j . j . and blinn , d . w . 1981 . the paleontology . paleoecology and depositional history of the miocene - pliocene verde formation , yavapi county , arizona . - in : stone , c . and jenny , j . p . ( eds ) geol . soc . digest 13 : 133 - 149 .
wrona , f . j . , davies , r . w . and linton , l . 1979 . analysis of the food niche of glossiphonia complanata ( hirudinoidea : glossiphoniidae ) . - can . j . zool . 57 : 2136 - 2142 .
young , j . o . 1981 . a comparitive study of the food niches of lake - dwelling triclads and leeches . - hydrobiologia 84 : 91 - 102 .
- and ironmonger , j . w . 1979 . the natural diet of eprobdella octoculata ( l . ) ( hirudinea : erpobdellae ) in british lakes . - arch . hydrobiol . 87 : 483 - 503 .
- and ironmonger , l . w . 1980 . alabratory study of the food of three species of leeches occuring in british lakes . - hydrobiologia . 68 : 209 - 215 .
- and proctor , r . m . 1985 . oligochaetes as a food resource of lake dwelling leeches . - j . freshwat . ecol . 3 : 181 - 187 .
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klemm , d . j . , w . e . moser and m . j . wetzel . 2010 . classification and checklist of the leeches ( phylum annelida : class clitellata : subclass hirundinida ) occurring in north america north of mexico . accessed : 25 june 2010 . online . available : urltoken
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ridgely , r . s . , t . f . allnutt , t . brooks , d . k . mcnicol , d . w . mehlman , b . e . young , and j . r . zook . 2003 . digital distribution maps of the birds of the western hemisphere , version 1 . 0 . natureserve , arlington , virginia , usa .
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to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
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the leech feeds exclusively on a type of shrimp , and the arsenic consumed in the shrimp is then stored in the leech’s body .
“the other thing that’s interesting is the arsenic seems to be moved from the gut of the organism up to the skin or surface of the organism . we don’t know what that mechanism is ,
said richard foust , lead author of the study and former nau chemistry professor .
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compton - o ' brien , a . m . , foust , r . d .
/ compton - o ' brien , anne marie ; foust , richard d .
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compton - o ' brien , { anne marie } and foust , { richard d . } and ketterer , { michael e . } and blinn , { dean w . }
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national exposure research laboratory , ecological exposure research division , ecosystems research branch ( ms - 642 ) , 26 w . martin luther king drive , cincinnati , ohio 45268 - 0001
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rebecca k . beresic - perrins , 1 fredric r . govedich , 2 kelsey banister , 1 bonnie a . bain , 2 devin rose , 1 and stephen m . shuster 1
1 department of biological sciences , northern arizona university , 617 s . beaver st . , po box 5640 flagstaff , az , 86011 - 5640 ,
2 department of biological sciences , southern utah university , 351 w . university blvd . cedar city , ut , 84720 ,
copyright rebecca k . beresic - perrins , fredric r . govedich , kelsey banister , bonnie a . bain , devin rose , stephen m . shuster
this is an open access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution license ( cc by 4 . 0 ) , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are credited .
( linnaeus , 1758 ) , all of which inhabit the swallet ( fig .
we documented number of eyes and their placement , color pattern , presence of papillae , number of and structure of gastric caecae , body size , presence of nuchal scute , gonopore placement , egg size and number , and number of offspring using a nikon binocular dissecting microscope . we then deposited the examined materials in the invertebrate zoology collection at the smithsonian institution , national museum of natural history ( usnm ) .
whole dna was extracted from the caudal suckers of the individual leeches using a qiagen dneasy blood & tissue kit ( cat . no . 69504 ) , with each sample incubated overnight in a water bath set at 54°c . using
oxidase subunit i ( coi ) was amplified . the primers were lco1490 5’ - ggtcaacaaatcataaagatattgg - 3’ and hco2198 5’ - taaacttcagggtgaccaaaaaatca - 3’ (
) . the pcr product was purified through the use of the qiaquick pcr purification protocol ( cat . no . 28104 ) , checked for pcr product using gel electrophoresis , and sequenced with an abi prism 3730 sequencer ( applied biosystems ) . we imported the seven “cleanest” sequences and 71 comparative sequences ( table
) and then corrected the alignments by hand . we partitioned the data and performed the substitution model test by codon in partitionfinder (
) and included 1 , 000 nonparametric bootstrap replicates . we used mrbayes for bayesian inference analysis with ten million generations with a 25 % burn - in and our support was assessed based on clade posterior probabilities (
) to construct parsimony phylogenies with 100 random additions . we performed the parsimony analysis twice , treating the deletions in the sequences as a 5
state and then as missing data . we performed an uncorrected p - distance analysis to examine nucleotide differences between sequences with 1 , 000 replicates in mega7 . 0 . 18 (
internal and external morphology of helobdella blinni sp . n . a dorsal view of the eyes and extended proboscis b crop and post caecae c testisacs d ventral view of internal eggs which have not been oviposited yet e ventral view of white eggs that have been oviposited f ventral view of attached and detached offspring .
diagram of the external and internal morphology of helobdella blinni sp . n . ( drawn by rebecca beresic - perrins and fredric govedich ) .
length of specimens 11 to 22 mm ( mean + se 16 . 6 + 3 . 2 n = 24 ) and width 3 to 8 mm ( 5 . 7 + 1 . 1 n = 28 ) ( table
) . individual color ranges from translucent with brown spots to dark brown ( fig .
) . no dorsal papillae ; one pair of eyes located at somite ii ( 0 . 07 + 0 . 02 mm diameter , n = 11 ) , distance between eyes 0 . 1 to 0 . 03 mm apart ( n = 13 ) . a scallop - shaped nuchal scute is present on the dorsal side , length 0 . 293 to 0 . 432 mm ( 0 . 335 + 0 . 05 n = 9 ) and width 0 . 27 to 0 . 386 mm ( 0 . 32 + 0 . 04 n = 9 ) . one annulus separates the female and male gonopores . the caudal sucker diameter averages 1 . 6 + 0 . 3 mm ( n = 27 ) . the eggs ( diameter 0 . 5 + 0 . 15 mm , n = 28 ) are laid on the ventral side of the parent in soft - walled transparent cocoons ( 7–11 eggs per cocoon , n = 7 ) . the mouth is located subterminally in the oral sucker ( figs
average oral sucker diameter is 0 . 7 + 0 . 19 mm ( n = 15 ) , proboscis length is 3 . 5 + 1 . 1 mm ( n = 17 ) ( table
) . diffuse salivary glands are located near the anterior of the first pair of crop caecae . there are five pairs of smooth crop caecae and one lobed pair of posteriorly directed post caecae . six pairs of compact testisacs are located in between each of the crop caecae . the intestine contains four pairs of caecae , with the first two pairs anteriorly directed and the other two pairs posteriorly directed . the intestine leads into an unraised anus located two annuli from the caudal sucker ( figure
development and growth . this species breeds year - round with peaks in spring and fall . our specimens had an average of 7 to 11 white eggs ( diameter 0 . 5 + 0 . 15 mm , n = 7 ) fixed to their ventral surface . laboratory collections ( 2007–10 ) of helobdella blinni documented the eggs hatching 1 to 2 weeks after ovipositing ( beresic - perrins 2010 ) . once hatched , the young attach to the ventral surface of the parent , allowing the parent to hunt for food and feed the young , occasionally feeding along with them . prey consists of oligochaetes and other invertebrates . the average number of young per adult is 7 + 3 . 3 ( n = 97 ) ranging from 1 to 14 offspring . the young remain attached to the parent for an additional four to five weeks after hatching . once the juveniles leave the parent , they tend to aggregate together on rocks ( beresic - perrins 2010 ) .
. we include the posterior probabilities and maximum - likelihood branch supports > 50 . the arizona populations of
sp . n . , supported by both the bayesian and parsimony analyses . the results of the uncorrected p - distance analysis revealed a difference of 13 . 3 % ( 233 nucleotides included ) between the two groups ( table
( washington ) which is supported by both bayesian inference and maximum - likelihood .
state in our first analysis and in our second , we treated the deletions as missing data . in the resulting 5
, running the spectrum from grey to pink . additionally , they have a descending pair of post caecae , whereas
differences in brooding season and size between helobdella blinni sp . n . , helobdella stagnalis , and helobdella c . f . helobdella .
are slightly longer ( body length 11–22 mm , 16 . 6 + 3 . 2 , n = 24 ) than
species , both from the same region ( rio de flag and oak creek , arizona populations ) and from europe ( uk sample ) . the sequences yielded a 13 . 3 % –17 . 4 % genetic difference between
although currently classified as helobdella c . f . modesta , the arizona populations from the rio de flag and oak creek may be an additional undescribed species based on our molecular analysis . our next step is to investigate these populations more closely , comparing them to other local populations , including white horse lake and j . d . dam lake , az which also contain helobdella modesta .
higher level relationships of leeches ( annelida : clitellata : euhirudinea ) based on morphology and gene sequences .
contributions to the ecology and biology of the danish freshwater leeches ( hirudinea ) .
beresic - perrins rk . ( 2010 ) the life - history and parental care in an arizona population of helobdella stagnalis ( hirudinea : glossiphoniidae ) . master’s thesis , flagstaff , arizona : northern arizona university .
viaggio del dott . a . borellinella republica argentina e nel paraguay . 21 . hirudine´es . bollettino dei musei di zoologia ed .
a comparison of the life cycle of helobdella stagnalis ( linn . 1758 ) ( hirudinoidea ) in two different geographical areas .
the morphology of ozobranchus margoi ( apathy ) ( hirudinoidea ) , a parasite of marine turtles .
folmerr o , blackr m , hoehr w , lutzr r , vrijenhoekr r . ( 1994 )
dna primers for amplification of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit i from diverse metazoan invertebrates .
govedich fr , blinn dw , keim p , davies rw . ( 1998 )
the first record of the genus helobdella ( hirudinoidea : glossiphoniidae ) from australia , with a description of a new species , helobdella papillornata .
a new leech species from north america , helobdella californica nov . sp . ( hirudinea : glossiphoniidae ) .
the golden gate leech helobdella californica nov . sp . ( hirudinea : glossiphoniidae ) : occurrence and dna - based taxonomy of a species restricted to san francisco .
lai y - t , chang c - h , chen j - h . ( 2009 )
two new species of helobdella blanchard 1896 ( hirudinida : rhynchobdellida : glossiphoniidae ) from taiwan , with a checklist of hirudinea fauna of the island .
lanave c , preparata g , sacone c , serio g . ( 1984 )
lanfear r , calcott b , ho sy , guindon s . ( 2012 )
life history and production of the leech helobdella stagnalis ( l . ) ( hirudinea ) in a shallow eutrophic reservoir in south wales .
leidy j . ( 1851 ) gen . nov . myzobdella . proceedings of the academy of natural sciences of philadelphia 5 : 243 .
linnaeus c . ( 1758 ) systema naturae per regna tria naturae , secundum classes , ordines , genera , species , cum characteribus , differentiis , synonymis , locis . tomus i . editio decima . holmiae , laurentii salvii .
the breeding , growth and age structure of a population of the leech helobdella stagnalis ( l . ) .
further notes on the leeches ( piscicolidae ) living on fresh - water fishes of north america .
miller ma , pfeiffer w , schwartz t . ( 2010 ) creating the cipres science gateway for inference of large phylogenetic trees . in : proceedings of the gateway computing environments workshop ( gce ) , new orleans , la , 1–8 .
leeches of the united states national museum . proceedings of the u . s .
moser we , klemm dj , richardson dj , wheeler ba , trauth se , daniels ba . ( 2006 )
moser we , richardson dj , hammond ci , lazo - wasem e . ( 2011 )
molecular characterization of helobdella modesta ( verrill , 1872 ) ( hirudinida : glossiphoniidae ) from its type locality , west river and whitneyville lake , new haven county , connecticut , usa .
moser we , fend sv , richardson dj , hammond ci , lazo - wasem ea , govedich fr , gullo bs . ( 2013 )
a new species of helobdella ( hirudinida : glossiphoniidae ) from oregon , usa .
the life history and reproduction of the leech helobdella stagnalis ( hirudinea : glossiphonidae ) in the river ely , south wales .
a new freshwater leech species of helobdella ( annelida : glossiphoniidae ) from central mexico .
oceguera - figueroa a , león - règagnon v , siddall me . ( 2010 )
dna barcoding reveals mexican diversity within the freshwater leech genus helobdella ( annelida : glossiphoniidae ) .
rodriguez fj , oliver jl , marin a , medina jr . ( 1990 )
salas - montiel r , phillips aj , de leon gp , oceguera - figueroa a . ( 2014 )
description of a new leech species of helobdella ( clitellata : glossiphoniidae ) from mexico with a review of mexican congeners and a taxonomic key .
sawyer rt . ( 1972 ) north american freshwater leeches , exclusive of the piscicolidae , with a key to all species . illinois biological monographs , univ . of illinois press , urbana .
phylogeny of leeches ( hirudinea ) based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit i .
phylogeny and revision of the leech genus helobdella ( glossiphoniidae ) based on mitochondrial gene sequences and morphological data and a special consideration of the triserialis complex .
dna - barcoding evidence for widespread introductions of a leech from the south american helobdella triserialis complex .
raxml version 8 : a tool for phylogenetic analysis and post - analysis of large phylogenies .
swofford dl . ( 2003 ) paup * version 4 . phylogenetic analysis using parsimony ( * and other methods ) .
tavare s . ( 1986 ) some probabilistic and statistical problems on the analysis of dna sequences . in : lectures in mathematics in the life sciences , vol . 17 , 57–86 .
the reproductive biology of the leech helobdella stagnalis ( l . ) in utah lake , utah .
vaillant l . ( 1890 ) histoire naturelle des anneles marin et d’eau douce . 3 / 2 , ordre hirudiens ( hirudines ) ou bdelles , paris , 477–542 .
gonimosobdella klemmi n . gen . , n . sp . ( hirudinida : piscicolidae ) from cyprinid fishes in arkansas , illinois , and missouri , usa .
phylogeny of the fish leeches ( oligochaeta , hirudinida , piscicolidae ) based on nuclear and mitochondrial genes and morphology .
. one of the few large limnocrene springs on the colorado plateau , it likely contains the highest concentration of endemic ( unique ) species of any single spring in north america . ecosystem studies in the well have helped us understand the evolution of unique species . located just off interstate 17 near mcguireville , and part of
. the well’s water is relatively constant in temperature , varying from 64 degrees to 77 degrees f , with relatively little dissolved oxygen but a high concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide and relatively high concentration of arsenic . the well has existed at least through the holocene epoch ( 12 , 000 years ) and likely much longer . as an evolutionary microcosm , the pool is essentially free of flood - related disturbance and seasonal impacts . despite its harsh water chemistry , it provides a stable , highly productive environment for the life within it . this , it appears , is a formula for endemism .
, and a new genus and species of leech . in addition to unique species , the well supports several regionally rare aquatic beetles and other insects , including
, a tiny member of the giant waterbug family , and a delicate marsh treader .
concerns over archaeological site pot - hunting and excavation encouraged area residents to propose the area as a national monument .
grand canyon wildlands council , inc . 2002 . a hydrological and biological inventory of springs , seeps and ponds of the arizona strip , final report . arizona water protection fund , phoenix .
springer , a . e . , l . e . stevens , and r . harms . 2006 . inventory and classification of selected national park service springs on the colorado plateau : nps cooperative agreement number ca 1200 - 99 - 009 . national park service , flagstaff .
arizona heritage waters dr . larry stevens museum of northern arizona 3101 north fort valley road flagstaff , az 86001 ( 928 ) 523 - 5211 ext . 204 email dr . stevens
dr . abe springer nau department of geology box 4099 flagstaff , az 86011 ( 928 ) 523 - 7198 email dr . springer
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medicinal leeches became infamous for their utility in bloodletting popularized in the 19 th century , and have seen a recent resurgence in post - operative treatments for flap and replantation surgeries , and in terms of characterization of salivary anticoagulants . notorious throughout the world , the quintessential leech family hirudinidae has been taken for granted to be monophyletic , as has the non - bloodfeeding family haemopidae .
this study is the first to evaluate molecular evidence from hirudinid and haemopid leeches in a manner that encompasses the global scope of their taxonomic distributions . we evaluated the presumed monophyly of the hirudinidae and assessed previous well - accepted classification schemes . the hirudinidae were found not to be monophyletic , falling instead into two distinct and unrelated clades . members of the non - bloodfeeding family haemopidae were scattered throughout the tree and among traditional hirudinid genera . a combination of nuclear 18s rdna and 28s rdna with mitochondrial 12s rdna and cytochrome c oxidase i were analyzed with parsimony and with bayesian methods .
the family hirudinidae must be refined to include only the clade containing hirudo medicinalis ( european medicinal leech ) and related leeches irrespective of bloodfeeding behavior . a second clade containing macrobdella decora ( north american medicinal leech ) and its relatives may yet be recognized in semiscolecidae in order to avoid paraphyly . the african distribution of species from each of the divergent hirudinid clades suggests that a deep divergence took place in the history of the medicinal leeches hundreds of millions of years ago .
medicinal leech
is a common name that describes bloodfeeding clitellate annelids in the family hirudinidae of the order hirudinida . the use of leeches for bloodletting has been a part of western medicine since galen [
, for physician ( merriam - webster dictionary ) . their utility has also been recorded in several eastern traditions , having been documented in the charaka samhita ( maurya period , roughly 3rd century bce ) as one of five treatments for an imbalance of humors and by wang ch ' ung ( 27 - 100 a . d ) [
centuries , european leech populations were over - harvested and leeches became increasingly scarce in parts of western europe . consequently , various countries , such as italy , hungary , and poland , with seemingly abundant sources , began exporting large numbers in order to satisfy the high demand . as early as 1823 , restrictions were put in place to manage the number of leeches being exported through hannover , germany , and collecting seasons were instituted in russia ; these represent some of the first measures in history meant to conserve an animal species [
] to relieve post - operative venous congestion in patients recovering from tissue flap and replantation surgery . their application in this regard proved so successful that european medicinal leeches were approved by the us food and drug administration in june , 2004 as a medical device due to their mechanically relieving venous congestion and delivering anti - coagulants [
] was only possible in light of the newly available purified hirudin , though it would later be supplanted by widely available and less expensive heparin .
. in fact , within the family hirudinidae , approximately 200 species have been described from all continents , save for antarctica . some of these species are used in medical practices in place of
traditionally , the family hirudinidae included any sanguivorous , swimming , freshwater leech with three jaws ( one dorsal and two ventrolateral ) and a distinctively caecate crop . richardson [
] analyses found the family hirudinidae to be split into two major clades with the terrestrial leeches and the non - bloodfeeding haemopidae falling in between . all taxonomic revisions of the family until now have been performed only with morphological characters [ e . g . , [
] ] . here , we revisit the phylogenetic relationships and systematics of the family hirudinidae while testing the monophyly of the family , and for the first time utilizing an expanded taxon sampling from each continent with representatives of most previously proposed subfamilies .
the combined dataset had a total of 6086 characters ( 18s : 2034 characters , 28s : 2162 characters , 12s : 575 characters , co1 : 1315 characters ) . the parsimony analysis produced 9 equally parsimonious trees with 8266 steps while the harmonic mean of log - likelihood values from two runs of the bayesian ( bi ) analysis averaged - 44555 . 69 . the log - likelihood of the topology produced by the maximum likelihood analysis was - 43311 . 984 .
presumed - monophyletic hirudinidae would require 179 extra steps ( templeton test : z = - 8 . 299 ,
> 0 . 0001 ) . the harmonic mean of log - likelihood values constraining traditional hirudinids to be monophyletic was - 45054 . 72 ( yielding a bayes factor of - 998 . 06 ) . similarly , with this constraint under the likelihood criterion , monophyly of hirudinidae was rejected with treefinder [
- values were highly significant ( shimodiara - hasegawa < 0 . 000001 , approximately unbiased test < 0 . 000001 ) . the harmonic mean of log - likelihood values constraining traditional hirudinids and traditional haemopids together to be a monophyletic group was - 44589 . 01 ( yielding a bayes factor of - 66 . 64 ) . similarly , with this constraint under the likelihood criterion , monophyly of hirudinidae + haemopidae was rejected with treefinder [
- values , while not as profound as in the simple case of constraining hirudinidae to be monophyletic , still were significant at the 5 % level ( shimodiara - hasegawa = 0 . 0195 , approximately unbiased test = 0 . 0164 ) .
maximum parsimony and bayesian inference tree topology based on 18s rdna , 28s rdna , 12s rdna , and coi datasets combined . posterior probabilities are above the node and jackknife values are below the node . branch lengths in orange corresponds to terrestrialism , branch lengths in blue correspond to traditional members of the family hirudinidae , and branch lengths in green correspond to traditional members of the family haemopidae .
varied among analyses and received little support in each of parsimony ( jackknife = 32 ) and bi ( pp = 0 . 54 ) analyses . between the two principal hirudinid clades was a paraphyletic assemblage of terrestrial leeches in the families haemadipsidae and xerobdellidae . the parsimony analysis found the genus
individuals were clustered by locality with caribbean individuals closely related to those from thailand . representatives of the genus
with high support values ( jackknife = 100 ; pp = 1 . 00 ) .
the family hirudinidae , long taken for granted to be monophyletic , is not . hirudinid leeches , characterized as relatively large , vermiform , swimming leeches that feed on blood by making an incision with three armed jaws , fall into two separate clades : one typified by the north american


adhemarius mexicanus is a species of moth in the family sphingidae .

it was described by balcázar-lara and beutelspacher , in 2001 , and is known from mexico , where it is found from oaxaca to jalisco .

adhemarius mexicanus

sphingidae , adhemarius sp . , in my eyes it is either adhemarius dariensis or adhemarius mexicanus . not really sure about the species , they look very similar . urltoken urltoken i try to get closer . . .
adhemarius globifer is a species of moth in the family sphingidae . it was described by dyar and 1912 , and is found from mexico to southern arizona . adults are probably on wing year round . . . .
: jalisco ; to puebla : patla ; veracruz : jalapa ; and oaxaca .
the pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many . the
suggestion
at the top of the page is merely a suggestion . it is based on commonly accepted english pronunciation of greek names and / or some fairly well accepted
rules
for latinized scientific names .
the suggested pronunciations , on this page and on other pages , are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read .
there are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different .
some of the early describers / namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect , but more often , they simply chose names from greek or roman mythology or history .
those species names which end in
ensis
indicate a specimen locale , and those which end in
i
, pronounced
eye
, honour a contempory friend / collector / etc .
, possibly chose the name from adhemarus , the fifth and last of the old counts of querci ( verdun , france ) who died in 880 ad .
probably produces at least two broods annually . hubert mayer reports a july flight in patla , puebla , mexico .
listed below are primary food plant ( s ) and alternate food plants . it is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful . the list is not exhaustive . experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile .
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thank you so much ! @ bayucca : ) time not to see you , greetins ! i investigate too .
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