About Us

This project documents the remarkable catfish genus Astroblepus — the only genus in the family Astroblepidae, and one of the most specialised freshwater fishes on Earth. Found exclusively in torrential Andean streams between 500 and 3,500 m above sea level, these fish are capable of climbing near-vertical rock faces using their highly modified sucker mouths.

Field expeditions to Ecuador and Peru have produced an extensive photographic record of individuals from dozens of collecting localities. All finds are documented on the distribution map and in the photo overview. The species checklist covers all currently accepted Astroblepus species with their authors and distribution ranges.

Norman also runs the sister project loricariinae.com, dedicated to the taxonomy and distribution of the subfamily Loricariinae (Loricariidae, Siluriformes).