Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Actinopterygii
- Order: Siluriformes
- Family: Doradidae (thorny catfishes)
- Genus: Anadoras
- Species: Anadoras weddellii (Castelnau, 1855)
Synonyms: Doras weddellii Castelnau, 1855.
Description
Anadoras weddellii is a small species of thorny catfish characterized by an armored body covered with bony plates. Adults attain a standard length of up to 15 cm (5.9 in). Like other doradids, it possesses a series of dorsal and lateral scutes and a well‑developed set of sensory barbels.
Distribution and Habitat
The species is native to freshwater systems in South America, occurring in the river basins of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. It inhabits slow‑moving rivers and tributaries, often in muddy or sandy substrates where its armored body provides protection.
Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists Anadoras weddellii as Least Concern (LC) under version 3.1 of its Red List criteria, indicating that the species currently faces no major widespread threats.
Taxonomic Notes
The IUCN treats Anadoras regani as a junior synonym of A. weddellii, whereas FishBase and the Catalog of Fishes retain A. regani as a valid separate taxon. This reflects ongoing taxonomic discussion within the Doradidae family.
Etymology
The specific epithet weddellii honors the British physician‑botanist Hugh Algernon Weddell (1819–1877), who supplied the type specimen (a dried skin) and an illustration of the fish to the describer, François‑Louis de la Porte, comte de Castelnau.
References
- IUCN Red List entry for Anadoras weddellii (2021).
- FishBase species summary (2022).
- Catalog of Fishes, California Academy of Sciences.
- The ETYFish Project (2018) – fish name etymology.
