Zebra pleco

Zebra pleco
Captive bred juvenile - Photo: M.Sykes
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Loricariidae
Genus:	Hypancistrus
Species:	H. zebra
Binomial name
Hypancistrus zebra Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1991

The zebra pleco (Hypancistrus zebra) is a species of catfish endemic to a small section of the Rio Xingu in Brazil. It occurs in the big bend area of the river, downstream from the town of Altamira, Para. It was first described in 1991.^[3] It gets its name from its black and white stripes, resembling the colouration of a zebra. This species grows to a length of 6.4 centimetres (2.5 in) SL.^[3] This species was exported from Brazil in 1987 for sale as aquarium fish. However, currently, the Brazilian government bans the export of certain fish species, including H. zebra.

H. zebra is threatened by the Belo Monte Dam in the Xingu river which has caused a severe reduction of the water flow of the entire known distribution range of the species. Due to this, the species has been classified as critically endangered and may soon become extinct in the wild. It is subject to several captive breeding programs. It is commercially bred in captivity for the aquarium trade.

Mature males have a wider head and longer interopercular spines than females. After spawning, the males will guard the eggs. The fry swim after seven days and absorb the yolk sac in two weeks.^[4]