Species: Platystacus cotylephorus, Banded Banjo, Banded Banjo Catfish, Whiptail Banjo Catfish

Platystacus cotylephorus Bloch, 1794

Banded Banjo, Whiptail Banjo Catfish, Banded Banjo Catfish

Head and front of body broad and flattened; body long, slender, tapering to a whiplike end; a strong bony shield on top of head; eyes tiny; front and rear nostrils separated by a space > nostril diameter; mouth under head; a pair of barbels at top lip that have a membrane joining them to side of head, without a small associated barbel; underside of head and belly with only 2 pairs of barbels; gill opening a tiny slit before pectoral fin base; dorsal fin base short, with a weak spine; no skin flap 2nd dorsal fin; anal fin with a very long base, 50-60 rays; pectoral fin low on side, with a strong lockable spine; no scales; 3-4 ridges along side of body.

Body black above, pale underneath; fins black

Reaches 20 cm.

In estuaries and river mouths on mud bottoms.

Depth range: 0-10 m?

The Orinoco to the Amazon, Brazil.