FISH SPECIES IN THE

PERUVIAN HIGHLANDS
The diversity of the mountain rivers is closely related to altitude and
temperature, as well as the slope and speed of the current, for which fish have developed special
adaptations.

The ichthyofauna of the Andes is considered to have little

taxonomic diversity, that is, it has a small number of species. There
are 3 genera, the cyprinodontids Orestias and the catfishes
Astroblepus and Trichomycterus known for the areas of the
Altiplano and the high Andean plateaus.

NORTH SIERRA
Above 1000 meters above sea level, 80 species have been recorded.
Most of these belong to the genera Orestias, Astroblepus and Trichomycterus, to which are added a few
species of small characids of the genera Ceratobranchia, Acrobrycon, Bryconamericus, Hemibrycon and
Creagrutus.
On the eastern slopes of the high forest (above 1000 meters above sea level), there have recently been
some reports of loricariids for the genera Ancistrus and Chaetostoma.

Orestias
Trichomycterus
 CENTRAL SIERRA
Above 2000 meters above sea level, in the Santa River, belonging to the Pacific slope, representatives of
Orestias and Astroblepus have been recorded, important genera related to cold and torrential waters.

SOUTHERN SIERRA
Lake Titicaca, located at more than 4000 meters above sea level, is the most diverse high Andean
ecosystem for freshwater fish, presenting what is biologically known as “species grouping”, mainly of
the genus Orestias (40 species). To a lesser extent we have the Astroblepus species (Astroblepidae) with
16 species; and Trichomycterus (Trichomycteridae) with 15 species.
Ispi : It is a species of fish from the family of
the cyprinodontids. These species feed mainly on zooplankton
crustaceans, copepods and cladocerans. They are found in South
America: in the basin of the
Lake Titicaca (Peru and Bolivia).

Orestias agassizii: black carachi.

Orestias albus: white carachi.
Orestias luteus: yellow carachi.
Orestias mulleri: carachi gringo.
Orestias olivaceus : dwarf carachi.
The Mauri: They are deep-sea fish, for this reason the
environment in which they live is above ground in places up to
6 to 7 meters deep. It is a teleot specimen with yellowish flesh
with few spines.

El Suche: Some specimens can reach more than 300 mm

in total length. In large lakes such as Titicaca, while the
specimens that inhabit highland rivers and streams
reach shorter lengths.

Catfish: These fish have a more or less cylindrical body, an operculum armed with odontodes,
a depressed head with three pairs of barbels, and small
eyes. They have a terminal mouth, which has conical
teeth or incisors that are adapted to feed mainly on
aquatic insects.
Dorado or chakechallwa: it is found in Huanuco, in
the Tingo María area and we know from Holguín that it was the Inca's favorite. It has
 white meat and a large size, it has a delicious flavor and firm texture.

Trout: One of the most appreciated fish, with delicate pink or white meat. It was
((planted)) at the beginning of the last century (19th), in the lagoons of the Peruvian
mountains, adapting to the environment with great ease.

Fish belonging to the families of

• Orestias , where fish such as: the ispi, the carachi (yellow, white, black, gringo, dwarf) are found.
These species belong to the steppe mountain ecosystem, whose center of evolution is the Lake
Titicaca basin.
• Astroblepus , where fish such as: catfish, suche, Mauri and trout are found.
• Trichomycterus , where fish such as catfish are found
These species belong to the puna ecosystem, whose representative fish is the suche. To the ecosystem
of the high jungle, whose representative fish is the catfish.
Most of these fish species are found in Lake Titicaca.