Hypoptopoma

Hypoptopoma is a genus of armored catfishes native to South America.

Taxonomy

The genus was established by Albert C. L. G. Günther in 1868 for his new species Hypoptopoma thoracatum, on the basis of the peculiar, depressed, spatulate formation of the head with the eyes on the lateral edges of the head.

Species

There are currently 15 recognized species in this genus:Hypoptopoma baileyi Aquino & Schaefer, 2010Hypoptopoma bianale Aquino & Schaefer, 2010Hypoptopoma brevirostratum Aquino & Schaefer, 2010Hypoptopoma elongatum Aquino & Schaefer, 2010Hypoptopoma guianense Boeseman, 1974Hypoptopoma gulare Cope, 1878Hypoptopoma incognitum Aquino & Schaefer, 2010Hypoptopoma inexspectatum Hypoptopoma joberti Hypoptopoma machadoi Aquino & Schaefer, 2010Hypoptopoma muzuspi Aquino & Schaefer, 2010Hypoptopoma psilogaster Fowler, 1915Hypoptopoma spectabile Hypoptopoma steindachneri Boulenger, 1895Hypoptopoma sternoptychum Hypoptopoma thoracatum Günther, 1868

Distribution

Hypoptopoma species inhabit the drainage basins to the east of the Andes, except for river systems draining to the Atlantic between the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil and the Paraná River in Argentina.