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Family
Heptapteridae (Heptapterids)
Species Currently in the DFL
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About This Family
Distribution:
Freshwater; Mexico to South America.
Habitat:
Freshwater rivers and lakes.
Remarks:
Heptapterids are a family of catfish found over South and Central America. Their skin is usually naked and they have three pairs of barbels on the chin. The adipose fin is large, and the caudal fin is deeply forked.
It is difficult to distinguish members of this family from those of the family Pimelodidae, as their external features are very similar. All features of the heptapterids mentioned in this article are not unique to the family.
Moreover, the diversity of this group is not well known. Estimates of 50 species are yet to be described. This family comprises about 25 genera and 175 known species.
References:
Nelson 2006