It was the first member of the family Iguanodectidae to be reported from Bolivia, and it remains endemic to the region, found solely in the Mamoré river basin.

[8] Males from all three species of Piabucus develop lappets (fleshy extensions) and small hooks on the foremost few rays of the anal fin.

[6] The generic name "Piabucus" is a Latinization of the Brazilian word "piabucu", which refers to various small fishes of similar shape.

[15][16] The Matucare specifically is a small river, sometimes referred to as an arroyo (which is usually a smaller creek or stream) in literature and cartography.

[17][18] Piabucus caudomaculatus demonstrates a general preference for slow-moving streams, including blackwater environments as well as its usual whitewater.

[1] The Mamoré river and its tributaries are dense in aquatic vegetation, which provides an adequate breeding habitat for the invertebrates and insects upon which P. caudomaculatus feeds.

While rivers in the Mamoré basin are unaffected by dams or levees, there is still notable degradation of natural resources, including pollution from gold mining and an increased risk of entanglement in fishing nets.