Crenicichla celidochilus Group: Missioneira Distribution: Along the Uruguay-Brasil border, in Artigas and north central Uruguay. Comments: This photo belongs to my friend and guide in Uruguay, Felipe Cantera. This beautiful fish is very similar in shape to the C. missioneira I have in my tanks. This is the first picture I have seen of this fish and is most likely the first photograph of live specimen. Described recently in 1987 by Casciotta, this "Lip Spot Pike" is found in Rio Cuareim and its tributaries in Artigas, Uruguay. It is quite likely that the fish is found on the Brasil side of the border as well. It's another of Uruguay's secrets. Felipe has been collecting fishes in his country for many years and is still discovering new pikes almost yearly. This is the fish that will make me return to Uruguay Addendum (2006): The above paragraph was written in 2004. Since then, this fish has been found in rivers in central Uruguay. It was previously thought to be endemic to Rio Cuareim. Apparently not. It is still most frequently encountered at the type locality in Cuareim. It has also been exported out of Uruguay. And, yes, this fish is taking me back to Uruguay. Jeff Cardwell and I are headed to Artigas, Uruguay in November 2006. I remember reading the description of the fish a year or so after publication at the Univ. of South Florida library in Tampa, FL and thinking that it would be extremely easy to identify thanks to the lip spot. Looks like it is. Size: 12 inches Back to ==> Home / Pike Photos / C. celidochilus Back to Species list Back to Photo Index Home Pikes Neotropicals Collecting Photography Personal Links Site map http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/5491 Latest update: 26 July 2006 Comments on this page: email me at kutty at earthlink dot net