| Loricaria cataphracta | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Loricariidae |
| Genus: | Loricaria |
| Species: | L. cataphracta |
| Binomial name | |
| Loricaria cataphracta Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Loricaria cataphracta, [1] sometimes known as the chocolate loricariid, is a species of catfish in the genus Loricaria and the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the Amazon River basin, as well as coastal rivers in the Guianas. It is known from Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela, where it is often seen in ponds. The species reaches 29.5 cm (11.6 inches) in standard length and is believed to be a facultative air-breather (i.e. it is able to rely on its gills for oxygen, rather than needing to sometimes breathe air). [2]
