PlanetCatfish.com - Soromonichthys stearleyi (Loricariidae) Cat-eLog

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Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Soromonichthys stearleyi** Lujan & Armbruster, 2011
Common Name	Soromon Pleco
Type Locality	Soromoni Creek, cobble and gravel shoal approximately 30 minutes by boat from the mouth and 11.8 km east of La Esmeralda, 3°11'37''N, 65°39'07''W, Amazonas State, Venezuela.
Pronunciation	so ro MON ick thiss - steer lee eye
Etymology	Soromonichthys is a combination of Soromoni, the name of the creek which serves as type locality for the type species, and the Greek ikhthus, meaning fish. The species epithet stearleyi is a patronym honoring Ralph Stearley, Professor of Geology at Calvin College since 1992, whose patient introductory tutelage in fish osteology set the first author on his career.
Species Information
Size	30mm or 1.2" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Soromonichthys may be diagnosed from all other Hypostominae by having a unique pattern of plate loss on the snout: Soromonichthys has naked skin covering its anteriormost snout margin, extending posteromedially over the mesethmoid to level approximately coequal with anterior bony rim of nostrils, and osterolaterally to about midlength of snout; plated region restricted to column along either side of mesethmoid that becomes broadly expanded posterolaterally to snout margin. There are more details in the original description, this is kept brief on purpose. The body is dark base with lighter stripes.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Known only from relatively low elevation (ca. 120 m asl) reaches of Soromoni Creek, a clearwater tributary of the upper Orinoco (Fig. 4) draining the southwestern slope of Mount Duida, a tepui at the western margin of the Guiana Shield with a maximum elevation greater than 2300 meters above sea level. Orinoco, Upper Orinoco, Soromoni (click on these areas to find other species found there) Log in to view data on a map.
IUCN Red List Category	Data Deficient, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2017.
Husbandry Information
Furniture	All individuals collected from shallow riffles and runs over clean cobble substrate interspersed with sand and patches of a rooted, moss-like aquatic macrophyte.
Compatibility	Other loricariids collected in Soromoni Creek with Soromonichthys were Ancistrus sp., Dekeyseria niveata, Exastilithoxus sp., and Rineloricaria formosa.
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Copeia 2011 (no. 2), pp 222, Figs. 5, 6D, 7.
Registered Keepers	There is but a single registered keeper, view all "my cats" data.
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Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 3 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Last Update	2019 Oct 26 05:19 (species record created: 2011 Jul 01 13:00)