Scientific name

Plecostomuspunctatus

Alias

Sucker fish, trash fish, pipefish, pipefish ratfish.

Taxonomic status

Phylum Vertebrata, Order Scleractinia, Order Carpiformes, Family Catfish.

Origin

Amazon River basin, South America.

Invasion pathway

Ornamental value and conscious introduction.

November 8, 2007, Xiamen Forestry Public Security Bureau received a "strange fish", its head like a bearded catfish, body like a shark, tail like an anglerfish, leather like a crocodile, mouth like a dollfish. The strangest thing is its mouth, long in the stomach below, mouth around and small whiskers. This fish body on both sides and four long spines, like bones to the surface of the skin, from the ventral surface, but very much like a small pipa. Identified by experts, only to understand that this is a "guest" from Latin America - scavenger fish.