branquinha-do-maracaibo
Potamorhina laticeps
Branquinha from the Lake Maracaibo basin in Venezuela and Colombia, up to 25 cm. Forms schools and has commercial fishing.
Also called: branquinha-do-maracaibo, branquinha, manamana
- maximum
- 25 cm
who is the branquinha-do-maracaibo
The Maracaibo branquinha is a freshwater curimatid that reaches 25 cm. It lives in the Lake Maracaibo basin in Venezuela and Colombia. It forms large schools and moves within the rivers themselves, without migrating between the sea and fresh water. It feeds on detritus. Curimatids like it have small mouths and eat mud and detritus. It has commercial fishing and poses no danger to anglers. Manamana is the name used in Colombia.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the branquinha-do-maracaibo; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Fusiform body of a curimatid with a small mouth, forming large schools. It resembles other branquinhas, so location tells them apart: this one is from the Lake Maracaibo basin in Venezuela and Colombia and reaches 25 cm. The Magdalena branquinha, also Colombian, lives on the other side, in the Magdalena and Atrato.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Lake Maracaibo basin in Venezuela and Colombia. Does not occur in Brazil.
Habitat: Rivers of the Lake Maracaibo basin, in schools.
rules for the branquinha-do-maracaibo
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Schooling fish: if caught in a net or on a hook, return it to the water carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01549, b = 3.01; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Potamorhina laticeps (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Potamorhina laticepsNames by country and language.
