Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Doradidae (Thorny catfishes) > Doradinae
Etymology: Lithodoras: Greek, lithos = stone + Greek, dora = skin (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Valenciennes.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Tropical
South America: Amazon River basin and estuary near Cayenne, French Guiana.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 35381); max. published weight: 15.0 kg (Ref. 35381)
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6; Anal soft rays: 13 - 14. Body elongated, without scales, almost covered with bony plaque, ventrally flattened in adults. Terminal mouth has three pairs of barbels. Lower jaw is shorter than the upper jaw. Eyes small (Ref. 35381).
Feeds on fruits when the forests are flooded and on the blades of macrophytes. Acts as seed dispersal agent (Ref. 6868). Reproduction occurs once a year and juveniles are often seen in large numbers in the estuary of the Amazon, in the region of Mario (Ref. 35381).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Sabaj, M.H. and C.J. Ferraris Jr., 2003. Doradidae (Thorny catfishes). p. 456-469. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil. (Ref. 37054)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 1.0000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00528 - 0.02384), b=2.98 (2.80 - 3.16), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.0 ±0.00 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High vulnerability (60 of 100).