Stegophilinae

Acanthopoma Apomatoceros Haemomaster Henonemus Homodiaetus Megalocentor Ochmacanthus Parastegophilus Pareiodon Pseudostegophilus Schultzichthys Stegophilus The Stegophilinae are a subfamily of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Trichomycteridae.

It includes 12 genera: Acanthopoma, Apomatoceros, Haemomaster, Henonemus, Homodiaetus, Megalocentor, Ochmacanthus, Parastegophilus, Pareiodon, Pseudostegophilus, Schultzichthys, and Stegophilus.

[1] A monophyletic group within the Stegophilinae is supported by two characteristics of the lateral line, including Acanthopoma, Henonemus, Megalocentor, Pareiodon, Parastegophilus, and Pseudostegophilus.

[2] The Stegophilinae are widely distributed in the main South American river basins, including the Amazon, Orinoco, São Francisco, Paraná-Paraguay, and those of southern Brazil.

[2] Stegophilines are sometimes considered candirú, so are considered parasites or semiparasites, because of their peculiar habit of feeding on scales, mucus, or skin of other fishes.