Hypostomus is a genus of catfish in the family Loricariidae. They are native to tropical and subtropical South America. H. plecostomus is the popular freshwater aquarium fish formerly known as Plecostomus plecostomus. The taxonomic structure of the Loricariidae is still being expanded by scientists. Hypostomus is a highly species-rich and widely distributed catfish genus.

<!--Possible info to keep from Aphanotorulus

Typical length is 15cm.

Externally similar in appearance, Aphanotorulus is distinguished from Hypostomus by the difference in papillae in the buccal cavity. In comparison with a 'typical' plecostomid e.g. a common pleco, Aphanotorulus is slightly more flattened. This genus shows sexual dimorphism, males develop elongated single pointed teeth,

With the inclusion of Aphanotorulus, Isorineloricaria and Squaliforma, the genus Hypostomus is by far the largest genus of Loricariidae and the second largest genus of catfish. However, a good way to split up the genus further is unclear. Species level taxonomy of Hypostomus is still poorly known as well as the phylogenetic relationships within and of the genus. It has been shown that the genus does not form a natural group.

Distribution and habitat

These species are originate from freshwater habitats of South America and the Caribbean island of Trinidad. They are found throughout most of the range of loricariids except for drainages west of the Atrato River (northwest Colombia). They are essentially ubiquitous throughout their range.

Hypostomus species are found in almost all aquatic habitats, from large rivers to small rivulets. The typical habitat would be relatively fast moving water over a shallow gravel bed. Most species are lowland, sluggish stream- and lake-dwellers usually found associated with submerged wood; however, many species may be found among rocks in piedmont to mountain streams with moderate to swift flow. Members of this genus may be found over a range of substrates such mud, detritus, gravel, and sand.

Also like other loricariids, Hypostomus species exhibit plates of armor over their body.

Species of the H. cochliodon group are fairly large loricariids that reach about 30&nbsp;centimetres (12&nbsp;in) SL. Their colouration is typically dark brown with spots generally developed over most surfaces; however, most species of this group have been observed to have a well-developed ability to alter color according to substrate. Except for H. sculpodon, these species tend to have a deep body at the dorsal fin origin; this makes the body appear humped.

Species

thumb|Hypostomus alatus

thumb|Hypostomus asperatus

thumb|Hypostomus commersoni

thumb|Hypostomus subcarinatus

There are currently 157 recognized species in this genus:

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  • Hypostomus affinis <small>(Steindachner, 1877)</small>
  • Hypostomus agna <small>(A. Miranda-Ribeiro, 1907)</small>
  • Hypostomus alatus <small>Castelnau, 1855</small>
  • Hypostomus ancistroides <small>(R. von Ihering (pt), 1911)</small>
  • Hypostomus annectens <small>(Regan, 1904)</small>
  • Hypostomus arecuta <small>Y. P. Cardoso, Almirón, Casciotta, Aichino, Lizarralde & Montoya-Burgos, 2012</small>
  • Hypostomus argus <small>(Fowler, 1943)</small>
  • Hypostomus bimbai <small>Zawadzki & Penido, 2021</small>
  • Hypostomus bolivianus <small>(N. E. Pearson, 1924)</small>
  • Hypostomus cari <small>Lustosa-Costa, Ramos, Zawadzki, Jacobina & Lima, 2024</small>
  • Hypostomus carinatus <small>(Steindachner, 1881)</small>
  • Hypostomus caudofasciatus <small>Zawadzki & Azevedo, 2024</small>
  • Hypostomus cochliodon <small>Kner, 1854</small>
  • Hypostomus delimai <small>Zawadzki, R. R. de Oliveira & Debona, 2013</small>
  • Hypostomus denticulatus <small>Zawadzki, C. Weber & Pavanelli, 2008</small>
  • Hypostomus francisci <small>(Lütken, 1874)</small>
  • Hypostomus freirei <small>Penido, Pessali & Zawadzki, 2021</small>
  • Hypostomus froehlichi <small>Zawadzki, Nardi & Tencatt, 2021</small>
  • Hypostomus fuscomaculatus <small>Zawadzki & Pains da Silva, 2022</small>
  • Hypostomus garmani <small>(Regan, 1904)</small>
  • Hypostomus goyazensis <small>(Regan, 1908)</small>
  • Hypostomus guajupia <small>Penido, Pessali & Zawadzki, 2021</small>
  • Hypostomus gymnorhynchus <small>(Norman, 1926)</small>
  • Hypostomus hemicochliodon <small>Armbruster, 2003</small>
  • Hypostomus hemiurus <small>(C. H. Eigenmann, 1912)</small>
  • Hypostomus heraldoi <small>Zawadzki, C. Weber & Pavanelli, 2008</small>
  • Hypostomus johnii <small>(Steindachner, 1877)</small>
  • Hypostomus khimaera <small>Tencatt, Zawadzki & Froehlich, 2014</small>
  • Hypostomus labyrinthus <small>Oliveira, Ribeiro, Canto & Zawadzki, 2020</small>
  • Hypostomus lamberti <small>Penido, Pessali & Zawadzki, 2023</small>
  • Hypostomus laplatae <small>(C. H. Eigenmann, 1907)</small>
  • Hypostomus latifrons <small>C. Weber, 1986</small>
  • Hypostomus latirostris <small>(Regan, 1904)</small>
  • Hypostomus leucophaeus <small>Zanata & Pitanga, 2016</small>
  • Hypostomus levis <small>(N. E. Pearson, 1924)</small>
  • Hypostomus lima <small>(Lütken, 1874)</small>
  • Hypostomus longiradiatus <small>(Holly, 1929)</small>
  • Hypostomus luetkeni <small>(Steindachner, 1877)</small>
  • Hypostomus luteomaculatus <small>(Devincenzi, 1942)</small>
  • Hypostomus luteus <small>(Godoy (pt), 1980)</small>
  • Hypostomus macrophthalmus <small>Boeseman, 1968</small>
  • Hypostomus macrops <small>(C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1888)</small>

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  • Hypostomus macushi <small>Armbruster & L. S. Souza, 2005</small>
  • Hypostomus maracaiboensis <small>(L. P. Schultz, 1944)</small>
  • Hypostomus meleagris <small>(Marini, Nichols & La Monte, 1933)</small>
  • Hypostomus micromaculatus <small>Boeseman, 1968</small>
  • Hypostomus microstomus <small>C. Weber, 1987</small>
  • Hypostomus minotauros <small>Zawadzki, Penido, Pessali & Lucinda, 2024</small>
  • Hypostomus multidens <small>Jerep, Shibatta & Zawadzki, 2007</small>
  • Hypostomus mutucae <small>Knaack, 1999</small>
  • Hypostomus myersi <small>(Gosline, 1947)</small>
  • Hypostomus nematopterus <small>Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1984</small>
  • Hypostomus niceforoi <small>(Fowler, 1943)</small>
  • Hypostomus nigrolineatus <small>Zawadzki, Carvalho, Birindelli & Azevedo, 2016</small>
  • Hypostomus nigromaculatus <small>(Schubart, 1964)</small>
  • Hypostomus nigropunctatus <small>Garavello, Britski & Zawadzki, 2012</small>
  • Hypostomus nudiventris <small>(Fowler, 1941)</small>
  • Hypostomus obtusirostris <small>(Steindachner, 1907)</small>
  • Hypostomus oculeus <small>(Fowler, 1943)</small>
  • Hypostomus pagei <small>Armbruster, 2003</small>
  • Hypostomus pantherinus <small>Kner, 1854</small>
  • Hypostomus paranensis <small>Weyenbergh (de), 1877</small>
  • Hypostomus pastinhai <small>Zawadzki & Penido, 2021</small>
  • Hypostomus paucimaculatus <small>Boeseman, 1968</small>
  • Hypostomus paucipunctatus <small>P. H. Carvalho & C. Weber, 2005</small>
  • Hypostomus paulinus <small>(R. Ihering (pt), 1905)</small>
  • Hypostomus peckoltoides <small>Zawadzki, C. Weber & Pavanelli, 2010</small>
  • Hypostomus perdido <small>Zawadzki, Tencatt & Froehlich, 2014</small>
  • Hypostomus piratatu <small>C. Weber, 1986</small>
  • Hypostomus plecostomoides <small>(C. H. Eigenmann, 1922)</small>
  • Hypostomus plecostomus <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> (sucker-mouth catfish)
  • Hypostomus pseudohemiurus <small>Boeseman, 1968</small>
  • Hypostomus punctatus <small>Valenciennes, 1840</small>
  • Hypostomus pusarum <small>(Starks, 1913)</small>
  • Hypostomus pyrineusi <small>(A. Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920)</small>
  • Hypostomus regani <small>(Ihering, 1905)</small>
  • Hypostomus renestoi <small>Zawadzki, Pains da Silva & Troy, 2018 </small>
  • Hypostomus rhantos <small>Armbruster, Tansey & Lujan, 2007</small>
  • Hypostomus robertsoni <small>Dias & Zawadzki, 2021</small>
  • Hypostomus robinii <small>Valenciennes, 1840</small>
  • Hypostomus rondoni <small>(A. Miranda-Ribeiro, 1912)</small>
  • Hypostomus roseopunctatus <small>R. E. dos Reis, C. Weber & L. R. Malabarba, 1990</small>
  • Hypostomus saramaccensis <small>Boeseman, 1968</small>
  • Hypostomus scabriceps <small>(C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1888)</small>
  • Hypostomus sculpodon <small>Armbruster, 2003</small>
  • Hypostomus seminudus <small>(C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1888)</small>
  • Hypostomus sertanejo <small>Zawadzki, Ramos & Sabaj, 2017</small>
  • Hypostomus simios <small>P. H. Carvalho & C. Weber, 2005</small>
  • Hypostomus soniae <small>P. H. Carvalho & C. Weber, 2005</small>
  • Hypostomus spiniger <small>(Hensel, 1870)</small>
  • Hypostomus strigaticeps <small>(Regan, 1908)</small>
  • Hypostomus subcarinatus <small>Castelnau, 1855</small>
  • Hypostomus surinamensis <small>Boeseman, 1968</small>
  • Hypostomus taphorni <small>(Lilyestrom, 1984)</small>
  • Hypostomus tapijara <small>Oyakawa, Akama & Zanata, 2005</small>
  • Hypostomus tenuis <small>Boeseman, 1968</small>
  • Hypostomus ternetzi <small>(Boulenger, 1895)</small>
  • Hypostomus tietensis <small>(R. Ihering (pt), 1905)</small>
  • Hypostomus topavae <small>(Godoy (pt), 1969)</small>
  • Hypostomus unae <small>(Steindachner, 1878)</small>
  • Hypostomus uruguayensis <small>R. E. dos Reis, C. Weber & L. R. Malabarba, 1990</small>
  • Hypostomus vaillanti <small>(Steindachner, 1877)</small>
  • Hypostomus variipictus <small>(R. Ihering (pt), 1911)</small>
  • Hypostomus varimaculosus <small>(Fowler, 1945)</small>
  • Hypostomus variostictus <small>(A. Miranda-Ribeiro, 1912)</small>
  • Hypostomus velhochico <small>Zawadzki, Oyakawa & Britski, 2017</small>
  • Hypostomus velhomonge <small>Lustosa-Costa, Ramos, Zawadzki & Lima, 2022</small>
  • Hypostomus ventromaculatus <small>Boeseman, 1968</small>
  • Hypostomus vermicularis <small>(C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1888)</small>
  • Hypostomus waiampi <small>P. H. Carvalho & C. Weber, 2005</small>
  • Hypostomus watwata <small>Hancock, 1828</small> (armored catfish)
  • Hypostomus weberi <small>P. H. Carvalho, F. C. T. Lima & Zawadzki, 2010</small>
  • Hypostomus wilsoni <small>(C. H. Eigenmann, 1918)</small>

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Synonyms

  • Hypostomus carvalhoi <small>(A. Miranda-Ribeiro, 1937)</small>; valid as H. pusarum
  • Hypostomus chrysostiktos <small>Birindelli, Zanata & F. C. T. Lima, 2007</small>; valid as Pterygoplichthys chrysostiktos
  • Hypostomus cordovae <small>(Günther, 1880)</small>; valid as H. paranensis
  • Hypostomus duodecimalis <small>Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1840</small>; valid as Pterygoplichthys etentaculatus
  • Hypostomus eptingi <small>(Fowler, 1941)</small>; valid as H. johnii
  • Hypostomus jaguribensis <small>(Fowler, 1915)</small>; valid as H. pusarum
  • Hypostomus lexi <small>(R. Ihering (pt), 1911)</small>; valid as H. albopunctatus
  • Hypostomus nickeriensis <small>Boeseman, 1969</small>; valid as H. corantijni
  • Hypostomus niger <small>(Marini, Nichols & La Monte, 1933)</small>; valid as H. albopunctatus
  • Hypostomus occidentalis <small>Boeseman, 1968</small>; valid as H. gymnorhynchus
  • Hypostomus papariae <small>(Fowler, 1941)</small>; valid as H. pusarum
  • Hypostomus pospisili <small>(L. P. Schultz, 1944)</small>; valid as H. hondae
  • Hypostomus salgadae <small>(Fowler, 1941)</small>;