The form from the Río Tigre, previously referred to as the subspecies C. p. orcesi (Weitzman & Nijssen, 1970) was raised to full species status as C. orcesi by Isbrücker (2001), but this decision does not appear to have been followed by all authorities some of which consider C. p. orcesi a synonym of C. pastazensis.

The two species are relatively easy to tell apart by colour pattern; in C. pastazensis the dark vertical…

This species may also be referred to by its C-number, C005.

There are 4 other species of cory that may be confused with C. ourastigma at first glance. These are C. guapore, C. caudimaculatus, C. similis and C. spectabilis. They can be distinguished quite easily upon close examination, however. C. guapore, whilst exhibiting similar patterning, has a completely different body shape to ourastigma, having a much more rounded overall appearance. It also tends to spend a lot of time away from the aquarium floor, unlike ourastigma. C. caudimaculatus also has a …

An attractive larger cory.

This species occurs alongside a near-identical congener, C. condiscipulus in nature. In fact condiscipulus literally means 'schoolmate', as the species are often found shoaling together. The only external difference between the 2 seems to be the longer snout and wider distribution within the Rio Oyapock of condiscipulus….

There are currently over 180 described species of Corydoras (commonly shortened to "cory"), making it one of the most speciose of all South American fish genera. There are also loads of undescribed species, many of which have been assigned a "C number" for identification purposes. This is a very simple system of numbering and is similar to the L number scheme used to identify undescribed Loricariids. Both systems were implemented by the German aquarium magazine DATZ (Die Aqua…

There are currently over 180 described species of Corydoras (commonly shortened to "cory"), making it one of the most speciose of all South American fish genera. There are also loads of undescribed species, many of which have been assigned a "C number" for identification purposes. This is a very simple system of numbering and is similar to the L number scheme used to identify undescribed Loricariids. Both systems were implemented by the German aquarium magazine DATZ (Die Aqua…

C. incolicana was the first recipient of a ‘C’ number (see below) in 1993 and was described the same year. Unfortunately its description was published in an aquarium hobbyist magazine, and we have been unable to obtain a copy to date meaning its diagnosis is unavailable. It is therefore difficult to identify accurately, not least because its type locality is in a relatively remote area, and there exist a number of superficially similar Corydoras species or populations in the aquarium trade.

The majority of records derive from the Río Apure watershed in southwestern Venezuela, where C. habrosus has been collected in the states of Portuguesa, Cojedes, Barinas, Guárico, and Apure. Its distribution in Colombia is less clear but it is known with certainty from the Río Arauca and Río Casanare, the latter a tributary of the lower Río Meta, and it makes sense that it should also be found in other left bank Orinoco affluents between the Meta and Apure, which include the ríos Cinaruco and Capanaparo.

C. guapore is a sought after aquarium fish although it is not often traded. It exhibits slightly different behaviour to the majority of congeners in that it tends to form aggregations in midwater and spends a large proportion of its time away from the substrate. Its morphology exhibits corresponding adaptations towards a pelagic existence with a relatively large eye, a more terminal mouth position, more strongly-forked caudal-fin, and more symmetrical body shape than most other Corydoras species.