Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus

Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus,[1] commonly known as the vermiculated sailfin catfish,[2] is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the Madeira River basin in Bolivia and Brazil, although it has subsequently been introduced to various countries.[3]

A specimen of Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus being hunted by a giant otter.

Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Loricariidae
Genus:	Pterygoplichthys
Species:	P. disjunctivus
Binomial name
Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (Weber, 1991)
Synonyms
Liposarcus disjunctivus

Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus is typically found in floodplain lakes, swamps, and borrow pits in water with a low concentration of oxygen. As such, it is a facultative air-breather that appears to use its specialized stomach as an accessory respiratory organ, and it is known to typically rely on breathing air for long periods of time. The species is very large for a loricariid, reaching 70 cm (27.6 inches) in total length.[3] It is an introduced species in India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States, and it is likely responsible for ecological and environmental damage.[4]