Trichomycterus punctulatus is a species of fish of the family Trichomycteridae, native to freshwater habitats in western Peru.

[2] This nocturnal freshwater fish is endemic to western Peru, ranging at least from Lambayeque and Cajamarca[3] to Tacna.

[3] It is an opportunistic predator that mainly feeds on insects,[5] but also will take small crustaceans and plant material (algae and remains of phanerogams).

[3][6] Although it can be difficult to ascertain the exact species depicted in the artwork of the ancient Moche culture,[7] it was likely T. punctulatus that was important in their mythology where perhaps recognized as a connection between light and darkness.

[2][3] In excavations of Huaca de la Luna, more than one-quarter of all fish bones were this species, revealing that it already played an important role as a food to the Moche.