Scoloplax facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scoloplax |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Superfamily: | Loricarioidea |
| Family: | Scoloplacidae Bailey & Baskin, 1976 |
| Genus: | Scoloplax Bailey & Baskin, 1976 |
| Type species | |
| Scoloplax dicra Bailey & Baskin, 1976
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Scoloplax is a special group of tiny catfish. They are often called spiny dwarf catfishes because they are very small and have spiky armor. This group is the only one in the family called Scoloplacidae.
Contents
What are Scoloplax Catfish?
These amazing fish are part of the order Siluriformes, which includes all catfish. They are known for their unique spiny bodies.
Types of Spiny Dwarf Catfish
There are six different kinds of Scoloplax fish that scientists know about right now. Each one is a unique species:
- Scoloplax baileyi
- Scoloplax baskini
- Scoloplax dicra
- Scoloplax distolothrix
- Scoloplax dolicholophia
- Scoloplax empousa (also known as the Pantanal dwarf catfish)
Where Do They Live?
Scoloplax catfish live in South America. You can find them in countries like Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Different types of Scoloplax live in different places:
- S. baskini lives in small rivers that flow into the Rio Aripuanã in Brazil.
- S. dicra is found in many places across the Amazon basin and the Paraguay River basin.
- S. distolothrix lives in the Tocantins-Araguaia, Xingu, and Paraguay River basins.
- S. dolicholophia is found in the Rio Negro basin in Brazil and also in Lake Amanã.
- S. empousa lives in the Amazon and Paraguay-Paraná River basins.
What Do They Look Like?
Scoloplax fish are easy to spot because of their unique features. They have a special shield-shaped plate on their snout, called a rostral plate. This plate has many large, curved, tooth-like spikes called odontodes.
These fish also have three rows of plates covered in these spikes. Two rows are on their sides, and one is in the middle of their belly. They do not have an adipose fin, which is a small, fleshy fin found on some fish. The biggest Scoloplax fish ever found was only about 20 millimeters (less than an inch) long!
Their Special Stomach
Scoloplax species have a very unusual stomach. It is large, thin, and clear. The tube that carries food from the mouth, called the esophagus, enters the stomach from the top. The intestine, which helps digest food, leaves the stomach from the bottom.
Only a small part of their stomach is used for digestion. Scientists think this special stomach might help them float in the water (for buoyancy control) or even help them breathe air!
How They Live
Scoloplax fish are quite common. They like to hide among fallen leaves in rivers and streams. They live in both clear water and dark, "blackwater" habitats. You can often find them in calm areas like oxbow lakes, quiet pools, and streams with lots of plants.
See also
In Spanish: Scoloplax para niños
