These catfish commonly known
as 'African Whiptails' tends to ratify the theory
that the two great continents of the America's and
Africa where at one time, one great mass of land as
they look on first glance to be superficially like
South American "Whiptails", such as from
the Rineloricaria/Hemiloricaria genera.
Habitat: These catfish inhabit fast
flowing waters and spend a lot of their time clinging
to aquatic leaves and if you provide long stemmed
plants, such as Vallisneria for instance, you will
see this habit. Aquarium Care: To
keep this species and other members of this African
hillstream family you will have to provide a well
oxygenated planted aquarium and keep up your water
changes as they are not as hardy as their South American
equivalents. Etymology: The specific
name ansorgii: In honour of Dr. W.J. Ansorge,
the English collector.
Common
Name:
African
Whiptailed Catfish
Synonyms:
Phractura
ansorgei, Phractura intermedia
Family:
Amphiliidae
Distribution:
Africa:
Lower
Niger River. Type locality: Agberi
[Nigeria].
Size:
9.0.cm (3¾ins)
Temp:
20-24°c
(67-75°f)
p.H.o
6.5-7.2.
Reference:
ScotCat
Factsheet no.59.
May 2001. Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist
of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes),
and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa
1418:1-628.
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