For the first time, we have received a new species of beautiful armored catfish from Peru, which, according to our supplier, is referred to by the fishermen as “Corydoras Llanos.” It is found exclusively in a tributary of the Amazon River called the Oran. We assume this refers to Oran Creek, near the town of Oran on the north bank of the Amazon, about 70 to 100 km downstream from Iquitos. Oran is a popular ecotourism destination and a starting point for nature observation.
Undoubtedly, these new Corydoras belong to the coriatae-fowleri-semiaquilus species complex; however, they cannot be unambiguously assigned to any of these three species. They are very beautiful fish, which our supplier has divided into two variants. This post features specimens of Variant 1; we will photograph specimens of Variant 2 shortly and present them here.
Since an armored catfish was already imported in 2007 as “Corydoras Llanos” (a long-snouted species with a color pattern similar to H. metae; as far as we know, without a C or CW number) from Peru, we assume that the name “Llanos” refers to the shape of the head. To avoid confusion, we have chosen the stocklist designation Corydoras sp. “Llanos-Oran” for our new arrivals.
Maximum size: approx. 7.5 cm; Temperature: 22–25°C; pH and hardness: not important for care (tap water), soft and acidic for breeding; Diet: omnivorous; Social behavior: peaceful schooling fish.
For our customers: These animals are listed under code 229686 in our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesale customers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
