Lepthoplosternum ucamara facts for kids

Lepthoplosternum ucamara is a special kind of catfish that lives in the rivers of South America. It's part of a fish family called Callichthyidae, which are sometimes known as "armored catfishes." This name comes from the bony plates that some fish in this family have, which act like a suit of armor!

About the Ucamara Catfish

The Lepthoplosternum ucamara is a unique fish that scientists first described in 2005. This means that even though it has lived in rivers for a long time, it was only officially named and studied by scientists Roberto Esser dos Reis and Cíntia Cecilia Kaefer in that year.

Where It Lives

This catfish makes its home in two main areas in South America.

• One place is the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in Peru. This reserve is a huge protected area, like a giant park, where many different animals and plants live safely. The catfish is found in the lower parts of the Ucayali River, which flows through this reserve.
• The other place where you can find Lepthoplosternum ucamara is in Brazil. Here, it lives near where two big rivers meet: the Solimões River and the Japurá River. The Solimões River is actually the name for a large part of the Amazon River as it flows through Brazil.

These rivers are part of the amazing Amazon rainforest ecosystem, which is full of incredible wildlife. The Lepthoplosternum ucamara catfish is just one small but important part of this huge natural world.

See also

In Spanish: Lepthoplosternum ucamara para niños