Striped Raphael

These fish burrow in the soft river bottoms and frequently occurs on sandy bottoms. These fish feed on mollusks, crustaceans and organic debris. They have rigid pectoral fin spines. The striped Raphael catfish also has tiny and curved protective spines running along its body. The typically reported maximum standard length of this species is 20–24 cm (7.9–9.4 in). Considerably larger individuals, up to 43 cm (17 in) long, have been reported from the Tocantins–Araguaia basin, but this population, together with those from the Tapajós and Xingu, likely represent an undescribed species (not to be confused with P. birindellii, a species from the Xingu basin that was described in 2018). Juvenile striped raphael catfish have been recorded cleaning piscivorous fish such as Hoplias malabaricus. The stripe pattern in the young may serve as a signal that allows for its recognition as a cleaner. It is noted that the striping pattern is not as strong in adults, and so the cleaning behavior is probably only seen in juveniles.