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{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Hypostomus punctatus.JPG
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref>{{cite iucn|author=Salvador, G.N. |year=2023 |title= ''Hypostomus punctatus'' |article-number= e.T186569A1815092 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T186569A1815092.en |access-date=1 March 2024}}</ref>
| display_parents = 3
| taxon = Hypostomus punctatus
| authority = [[Achille Valenciennes|Valenciennes]], 1840
}}

'''''Hypostomus punctatus''''', the '''suckermouthed catfish''', is a [[tropical]] [[fish]] belonging to the armored suckermouth catfish [[family (biology)|family]], [[Loricariidae]]. ''Hypostomus punctatus'' is a freshwater fish native to [[South America]], in the coastal drainages of southeastern [[Brazil]] and [[Uruguay]]. It is one of a number of species commonly referred to as "plecostomus" or "[[common pleco]]" by [[aquarist]]s.

==Description==
''H. punctatus'' is a species of loricariid [[catfish]]. Like other members of this family, it possesses a [[suckermouth]], armor plates, strong dorsal and pectoral fin spines, and the [[omega iris]]. This species reaches about {{convert|30|cm|in}} [[fish measurement|TL]].<ref name=fishbase/>

''Hypostomus punctatus'' is difficult to distinguish from closely related species, such as ''[[Hypostomus plecostomus]]''. Identification is relatively difficult as there are many different similar species labelled as "common pleco". This species has a light brown coloration with a pattern of darker brown spots (its specific epithet, ''punctatus'', means "spotted"). Because of this, the species may also be known as the '''spotted hypostomus'''. The species is not notably striped and is generally lighter in coloration than ''H. plecostomus''.<ref name=planetcatfish>{{cite web|url=https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=87|title=Cat-eLog::Hypostominae::''Hypostomus punctatus''|publisher=PlanetCatfish.com|date=24 October 2020|access-date=1 March 2024}}</ref>

==Habitat and ecology==
''H. punctatus'' is found in the wild in fast-flowing rivers as well as in flooded areas. It prefers water with a temperature of {{cvt|22|-|28|°C}}, a [[pH]] range of 5–8, and a [[Hard water|dH]] range of 0.5–25.<ref name=fishbase>{{FishBase|genus=Hypostomus|species=punctatus|year=2011|month=December}}</ref> ''H. punctatus'' is primarily herbivorous and feeds on [[algae]] and [[detritus]] as well as plants and roots.<ref name=fishbase/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1027554}}

[[Category:Hypostomus|punctatus]]
[[Category:Suckermouth catfish of Brazil]]
[[Category:Fish of Uruguay]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Achille Valenciennes]]
[[Category:Fish described in 1840]]

Hypostomus punctatus - Revision history

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