Fishermen in the Arkhangelsk region pulled out a strange catch in the area of the Bereznik-Osinovo ferry crossing: they pulled out an unusual fish with a turtle's head and fossilized scales from the water.
As reported by the Dvinovazhye newspaper, the fish has a head like a brontosaurus, as well as large spiny needles and fossilized scales. At the same time, her mouth looks like a sucker, similar to the mouth of a sterlet. The fishermen examined various photographs on the Internet, but did not find any mention of such unusual specimens. However, similar features are observed in fish such as the sea hare and monkfish.
Later, the fish was identified, it turned out that it was a brocade pterygoplichtis, or shell catfish. It feeds on algae and is bred by aquarists. The habitat of such a catfish is the waters of the Amazon and Orinoco.
Recently, fishermen and ichthyologists have increasingly come across exotic species in the rivers of the middle zone of our country. In 2012, the capture of the same armored catfish was reported in the Penza press:
Brocade pterygoplichtis, or shell catfish, was caught in the waters of the Sura. Fish inspectors made a unique find during one of the raids. A freshwater species with a history of millions of years was discovered in poaching nets.
“This is a rather large specimen that got into the pond, most likely thanks to amateur aquarists who took pity on it and released it. However, catfish cannot live or reproduce in our waters,”said ichthyologist Vitaly Osipov.
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Despite its formidable appearance, the shell catfish is not dangerous. It does not belong to carnivorous species and feeds on vegetation. Aquarists turn it on both for beauty and to cleanse the blue-green algae absorbed by the pterygoplichtis.
It is one of the few species that does not have scales. On the body of the catfish, it is replaced by bone plates, which form a strong shell.
The usual habitat of such a catfish is the waters of the Amazon and Orinoco. But recently, fishermen and ichthyologists have increasingly come across exotic species in the rivers of the middle zone of our country.
“It often happens that, together with caviar and fry of Far Eastern species, fish that are not typical for us can be brought to our region,” Osipov added.
In summer, because of the hot weather, the conditions in the river were quite comfortable for such a catfish, but he would not have been able to spend the winter: the temperature was too low.