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Steven Grant (2) Allan James (1) Ian Fuller (2) Jonas Abraham (2)

Similar in colour pattern to H. paleatum and H. longipinne but the blotches in the body are smaller and lighter in colour and is also a smaller species. Males have longer dorsal fins. First given the numbers of C007 and CW024 untill described by Tencatt et al, 2014 as Corydoras gryphus (now Hoplisoma gryphus). Among Corydoras/Hoplisoma species from the Rio Paraná basin, Hoplisoma diphyes and Hoplisoma flaveolum are the species that exhibit the most similar colour pattern to Hoplisoma gryphus. However, the new species can be distinguished from both species by lacking dark spots on the head (vs. spots present on the dorsal portion of head and snout) and by having irregular and variable-in-size black blotches on midline of flank (vs.rounded blotches with similar size). Hoplisoma gryphus also presents pectoral and anal fins with black bars, whereas these fins are hyaline in H. diphyes (Tencatt et al, 2014). Lineage: Placed in Lineage 6 which has always been classified as Corydoras (Lacépède, 1803) so a new genus would need to be described and a new type species when a revision is carried out. As of the latest revision (Dias et al 2024) Corydoras gryphus has now been placed in Lineage 9 and has the new genus name of Hoplisoma. Aquarium Care: This is akin to most of this genus, very peaceful, and would be best housed with small to medium sized tankmates such as Tetras, Rasboras and Danios or in a species tank for breeding purposes. Best to purchase 6 individuals or more as they will be happier in a group. Diet: Readily accepts a mixed and varied diet which includes granular foods, tablet food, frozen bloodworm and a good quality flake. Etymology: The specific name gryphus: from the Latin, meaning griffon, mythical creature with a lion body and a head and wings of a hawk or eagle, in allusion to the conspicuous elongation of pectoral-fin spine and its first branched ray, like a wing in male specimens. A noun in apposition. Remarks: This species is still found on some online sources as Corydoras gryphus.

CW024, C007.

Corydoras gryphus

Callichthyidae

South America: Brazil, Paraná, Foz do Iguaçu, rio Paraná (near Ponte da Amizade), approximately 25°31’S 54°38’W. Type locality: The lower rio Paraná, near Itaipu dam.

Male: 4.0cm (1½ins) Female: 4.5cm (1¾ins)

19-24°C (65-75°F)

6.5-7.2.

Alexandrou, Markos & Taylor, Martin. (2011). Evolution, ecology and taxonomy of the Corydoradinae revisited.
Angelica C Dias, Luiz F C Tencatt, Fabio F Roxo, Gabriel de Souza da Costa Silva, Sérgio A Santos, Marcelo R Britto, Martin I Taylor, Claudio Oliveira, Phylogenomic analyses in the complex Neotropical subfamily Corydoradinae (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) with a new classification based on morphological and molecular data, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2024;, zlae053.
Ian A. M. Fuller & Hans-Georg Evers (2011). Identifying Corydoradinae Catfish Supplement 1. Ian Fuller Enterprises.
L.F.C. Tencatt, M.R. Britto & C.S. Pavanelli.; 2014. A new long-finned Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the lower rio Paraná basin, Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology, 12(1):71-79, 2014.
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