Atopochilus is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of catfish

Catfish

Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...

es (order

Order (biology)

In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...

 Siluriformes) of the family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Mochokidae

Mochokidae

The Mochokidae are a family of catfishes that are known as the squeakers and upside-down catfish. There are 10 genera and about 188 species of mochokids. All the mochokids are freshwater species originating from Africa....

. It includes seven species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

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Species

• Atopochilus chabanaudi
• Atopochilus christyi
• Atopochilus macrocephalus
• Atopochilus mandevillei
• Atopochilus. pachychilus
• Atopochilus savorgnani
• Atopochilus vogti

A. christyi and A. macrocephalus are known from the Congo River

Congo River

The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...

. A. chabanaudi and A. mandevillei originate from the Congo River at Stanley Pool. A. pachychilus is known only from the type locality

Biological type

In biology, a type is one particular specimen of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached...

 in the Kasai River

Kasai River

The Kasai River is a tributary of the Congo River, located in central Africa. The river begins in Angola and serves as the border between Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo , then flows into the DRC, where it joins the Congo northeast of Kinshasa. The Kasai's tributaries include the...

 of the Congo basin. A. savorgnani inhabits the Upper Ogowe River of the Muni River

Muni River

The Muni River is a river in the southern mainland of Equatorial Guinea. Part of its length, including its estuary, form part of the border with Gabon. It is from this river that the former name for this part of Equatorial Guinea, Rio Muni was taken....

 Basin in Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea where the capital Malabo is situated.Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the...

, and the Ntem River

Ntem River

The Ntem River is a border river in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It rises in Gabon, but flows into the Atlantic Ocean in Cameroon. A tributary continues along the border towards the east.- Towns :* Campo* Minvoul, Gabon...

 in southern Cameroon

Cameroon

Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...

. A. vogti is distributed in the Wami River

Wami River

The Wami River lies entirely within the African nation of Tanzania in the Pwani Region and Morogoro Region in eastern Tanzania. Its source is specified in the Kaguru Mountains and it flows East entering the Indian Ocean west of Zanzibar. But its catchment area extends from the Kinyasangwe River to...

 of Tanzania

Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...

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Atopochilus species have their lips and barbels modified into a suckermouth

Suckermouth

In fishes, a suckermouth is a ventrally-oriented mouth adapted for grazing on algae and small organisms that grow on submerged objects....

. Atopochilus species range in size from 6.0–14.1 centimetres (2.4–5.6 in) in length.

A. vogti inhabits small fast streams. It is of possible aquarium

Aquarium

An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...

 value. A. vogti is listed as Data Deficient

Data Deficient

Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...

 on the IUCN Red List

IUCN Red List

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...

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