Species: Pseudauchenipterus nodosus, Cocosoda Catfish

Pseudauchenipterus nodosus (Bloch, 1794)

Cocosoda Catfish

Body and head rounded, robust, head nearly as wide as long; snout rounded, with recessed lower jaw; top of head with a large, wide bony shield with a honeycomb pattern on top; front and rear nostrils well separated; eyes on side of head; 3 pairs of barbells, top lip pair longest, but not reaching tip of pectoral spine, 2 pair under chin; a groove under eye holds the top-lip barbell; roof of mouth without teeth; dorsal and pectoral fins with a strong spine, base of dorsal spine swollen in adults; dorsal fin 6 rays; anal fin 20-25 soft rays; skin-flap dorsal fin present; tail fin deeply forked; lateral line conspicuous and wavy, forked at the end; no scales.

Back and top of head bluey grey, sides yellowish to orange, underside of head and body pinkish; several vertical rows of white spots on body; wavy lateral line blue, edged above and below by a white line; tail fin broadly edged in black.

Reaches 30 cm.

On muddy bottoms of river mouths and in freshened seawater.

Depth range: 0-25 m?

The Gulf of Paria to northern Brazil.