Bio Facts: Catfish, Shovelnose East of the Andes in the Amazon,
Orinoco, Paraná, and Parnaiba river basins Fast-moving and slow-
moving freshwater, including lakes, rivers, and bays with
substrates that are mixtures of sand, clay, and mud, and
associated with reeds, grasses, and roots. Adult length: 20 in
(50 cm); appearance: possess dorsal and pectoral fin spines, a
triangular adipose fin, and very long barbels (“whiskers”); jaw
is shovel-like and projecting with an exposed, villiform (brush-
like) premaxillary tooth patch; head is depressed and usually
three times longer than it is wide; eyes are set laterally and
usually visible from below; characteristic black, lateral
stripe, variable in width, that extends from the snout to the
end of the caudal fin; dorsal surface is dark with dark blotches
or spots. The ventral part of the body is white or cream
colored. Light areas may appear golden or slate gray, often
appearing iridescent. Young fish are more heavily pigmented than
adults. In the wild, they eat fish