Pterygoplichthys weberi Armbruster & Page 2006

Distinguished from all congeners except Pterygoplichthys punctatus by having the buccal papilla at least shallowly divided medially; and by having the lateral keel odontodes almost perpendicular to the plates (vs. sloped posteriorly) and by having the longest keel odontodes longer than the plates in the lateral-line row in the adult. Differs further Pterygoplichthys punctatus by having the buccal papilla partially divided in the adult (vs. fully divided at all ages), by having few spots on the abdomen and the bases of the fins (vs. many spots), and by having a wider body (SL/cleithral width 3.3-3.4 vs. 3.6-4.0). Can be further distinguished from Pterygoplichthys scrophus, Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps, Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus, Pterygoplichthys xinguensis, Pterygoplichthys lituratus, and Pterygoplichthys parnaibae by the absence of an elevated supraoccipital (vs. presence of an elevated supraoccipital forming an obvious crest); from Pterygoplichthys etentaculatus by having fewer than five hypertrophied odontodes on the cheek plates (vs. more than five); from Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus by having dark spots (vs. light spots); from Pterygoplichthys undecimalis and Pterygoplichthys zuliaensis by having a broadly round snout (vs. a narrow pointed snout); from Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus by usually having 11 dorsal-fin rays (occasionally 12 vs. 12-13); and from Pterygoplichthys anisitsi, Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus, Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus, and Pterygoplichthys pardalis by having hypertrophied odontodes on the cheek plates of the adult (vs. hypertrophied cheek odontodes absent) (Ref. 75871).

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 112; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 4

Pterygoplichthys weberi is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is native to South America, where it occurs in the basins of the Amazon River, the Japurá River, the Marañón River, and the Ucayali River in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The species reaches 19.7 cm (7.8 inches) in standard length and is known to be a facultative air-breather. Its specific epithet, weberi, honors Claude Weber of the Natural History Museum of Geneva for his contributions to the systematics of the genus Pterygoplichthys and of loricariids in general.

Pterygoplichthys weberi sometimes appears in the aquarium trade, where it may be referred to as the ranger pleco.