Cetopsis candiru Spix & Agassiz, 1829

Open encyclopedia reference

Cetopsis candiru, also known as candiru, candiru açú, candiru cobra or canero, is a carnivorous species of whale catfish found in the Amazon basin of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia. Similar to Cetopsis coecutiens, Cetopsis candiru is a large species of the genus Cetopsis and a widespread scavenger, known for its voracious feeding and the habit of burrowing into the carcasses of dead animals and humans. Despite its name, it is not closely related to the bloodsucking Candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa).

Wikipedia contributors, Cetopsis candiru; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T19:16:12.456026+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Cetopsis candiru Spix & Agassiz, 1829

Name authority

Spix & Agassiz, 1829

Rank

species

Accepted status

accepted

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Teleostei

Order

Siluriformes

Family

Cetopsidae

Genus

Cetopsis

Extinction status

Not supplied by this source

Source habitat flags: Marine: no · Freshwater: yes · Terrestrial: no. These do not form a complete habitat description.

Classification family tree

Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.

1. domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
2. kingdomAnimalia
3. phylumChordata
4. subphylumVertebrata
5. infraphylumGnathostomata
6. parvphylumOsteichthyes
7. gigaclassActinopterygii
8. superclassActinopteri
9. classTeleostei
10. orderSiluriformes
11. familyCetopsidae Bleeker, 1858
12. subfamilyCetopsinae Bleeker, 1858
13. genusCetopsis Agassiz, 1829
14. speciesCetopsis candiru Spix & Agassiz, 1829

Close classified relatives

These entries share the source’s genus, Cetopsis. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.

Browse 27 records assigned to Cetopsidae.

Names & synonyms

Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.

Source literature & publication evidence

References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.

1. Spix, J. B., von, & Agassiz, L. (1829). Selecta genera et species piscium quos in itinere per Brasiliam annis MDCCCXVII-MDCCCXX : jussu et auspiciis Maximiliani Josephi I. Bavariae regis augustissimi peracto. Monachii, Part 1: i–xvi + i–ii + 1–6 + 1–82, Pls. 1–48, Part 2: 83–138, Pls. 49–101. [Part 1 published June 1829, part 2 Jan. 1831. Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references

Origins, evidence & remaining research

Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.

Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.

Dataset citation & attribution

This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11

Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.

Stable key: col:T6ZG. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.