Brachyplatystoma tigrinum, the zebra shovelnose, or tigerstriped catfish, is a large species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to the Amazon basin in Brazil, Colombia and Peru.[1][2] It is entirely piscivorous.[2][3]
B. tigrinum is found in the upper Amazon basin, with records from the western Amazon, Caquetá, Madeira, Marañon, Putumayo and Ucayali systems.[3][4] Adults mostly inhabit fast-flowing sections of whitewater rivers, but can also occur in clearwater rivers.[3][4]
Although a typically reported maximum size is 60 cm (24 in), a study in Peru found many that were larger, with the largest individual being 85 cm (33 in) long and 5.2 kg (11 lb) in weight.[4] The head is elongate and compressed, and the tail has long filaments.[2] The base colour of the body is yellow to almost white and it has distinct dark stripes.[5] It is sometimes confused with B. juruense.[2]
Brachyplatystoma tigrinum, the zebra shovelnose, or tigerstriped catfish, is a large species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to the Amazon basin in Brazil, Colombia and Peru. It is entirely piscivorous.
