Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Callichthyidae (Callichthyid armored catfishes) > Callichthyinae
Etymology: Megalechis: Greek, megas, megalos = great + greek, echis, -eos = viper (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Valenciennes.
Issue
See Reis (1997) for phylogeny and Reis (1998) for detailed description.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
South America: Amazon, Orinoco and upper Paraguay River basins, as well as coastal rivers of the Guianas and northern Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 121647); max. published weight: 140.00 g (Ref. 121647)
Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274)
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Reis, R.E., P.-Y. Le Bail and J.H.A. Mol, 2005. New arrangement in the synonymy of Megalechis Reis, 1997 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae). Copeia 2005(3):678-682. (Ref. 57766)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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