AnimalvsAnimal
Vandellia cirrhosa after a full meal of blood🐟

Photo: Ivan Sazima & Jansen Zuanon · CC BY 4.0

SpeciesSiluriformesTrichomycteridae
Fish

🐟Candiru

Vandellia cirrhosa Valenciennes, 1846

El candirú (Vandellia cirrhosa), también conocido como candiro azul, pez benator, canero, cañero o pez vampiro es un pez de agua dulce del orden de los siluriformes, perteneciente a la familia de los bagres, que habita en el Rio Amazonas. Es especialmente famoso y temido por el mito de alojarse en los orificios genitales o excretores de sus presas para alimentarse de su sangre, algo que nunca se ha demostrado. Se han llegado a ver ejemplares de hasta 22 cm y es alargado y transparente, por lo que es prácticamente indetectable debajo del agua. Suele encontrarse en partes del río caracterizadas por las fuertes corrientes, aunque también se pueden encontrar en las lagunas formadas tras el descenso del agua por el cauce del río.

Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Photos
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Measurements
4
Conservation status
LCLeast concern

IUCN Red List assessment, 2023.

Population trendUnknown
Key measurements
Body mass
not recorded
Body length
0.17 m
Shoulder height
not recorded
Top speed
not recorded
Bite force
not recorded
Maximum lifespan
not recorded
All measurements ↓
Facts and figures

Everything we know about the Candiru

Typical adult figures. Where a value is an estimate rather than a measurement, it says so.

Body length
0.17 mmaximum recorded
FishBase
Details ↓

Source: FishBase · v25.04 · CC BY-NC 4.0

Trophic level
4.4
FishBase
Details ↓

Source: FishBase · v25.04, estimate table · CC BY-NC 4.0

Diet
carnivoreaverage
Details ↓

From trophic level 4.4 (FishBase): <2.2 herbivore, 2.2–2.8 omnivore, >2.8 carnivore.

Danger to humans
traumatogenic
FishBase
Details ↓

Source: FishBase · v25.04 · CC BY-NC 4.0

average = a mean across sexes or species in a group.

Not recorded for Candiru yet: body mass, shoulder height, top speed, bite force, maximum lifespan.

Where it sits

Family tree

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. ›phylumChordata
  3. ›orderSiluriformes
  4. ›familyTrichomycteridae
  5. ›genusVandellia
  6. ›speciesVandellia cirrhosa
Full lineage
  1. superclassRay-finned fish · Actinopterygii
  2. suborderLoricaroidei
  3. familyTrichomycteridae
  4. genusVandellia
All 13 branches ↓
  1. kingdomMetazoa
  2. phylumChordata
  3. subphylumCraniata
  4. subphylumVertebrata
  5. superclassGnathostomata
  6. superclassRay-finned fish · Actinopterygii
  7. classActinopteri
  8. subclassNeopterygii
  9. superorderCharaciphysae
  10. orderSiluriformes
  11. suborderLoricaroidei
  12. familyTrichomycteridae
  13. genusVandellia
More

More about the Candiru

In other languages
Candiru (pt), Candiru (fr), 寄生鲇 (zh), Candiru (vi), candirú (ca), Vandellia cirrhosa (de) … and 22 more languages
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