Climbing Catfish
The new samples of L. wahari confirmed that the species is a member of a
group that bridges two catfish families. Bony plates on both its head
and tail, plus other features, link the species to the Loricariidae, a
widespread and successful family of fully armored catfishes. But L.
wahari also has a specialized pelvic fin that decouples from its body
and moves backward and forward independently. This feature—used in
combination with a grasping mouth to move like an inchworm up rocks—is
otherwise found only in a family of climbing catfish restricted to the
Andes, the Astroblepidae.
Climbing Catfish
Climbing Catfish
Climbing Catfish
Climbing Catfish
Climbing Catfish
Climbing Catfish
Climbing Catfish
Climbing Catfish
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