Trichomycteridae

Trichomycteridae
Vandellia cirrhosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Superfamily: Loricarioidea
Family: Trichomycteridae
Bleeker, 1858
Subfamilies[1]
Trichomycterus species

Trichomycteridae is a family of catfishes commonly known as pencil catfishes or parasitic catfishes. This family includes the candiru fish (Vandellia cirrhosa), feared by some people for its alleged habit of entering into the urethra of humans. They are one of the few parasitic chordates. Another species is the life monsefuano (Trichomycterus punctulatus) which was important to the Moche culture and still an important part of Peruvian cuisine.[2]

This family is prohibited from being imported into various parts of the United States.[3]

  1. ^ "Trichomycteridae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved July 12, 2007.
  2. ^ Fondazioneslowfood: Life monsefuano. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Trichomycteridae". FishBase. July 2007 version.