Taxonomy & naming
Harttia punctata was described by Rapp Py-Daniel and Oliveira in 2001, in a paper titled 'Seven new species of Harttia from the Amazonian-Guyana region' published in Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters (volume 12, number 1, pages 79–96). The authority is confirmed against the Catalog of Fishes (Eschmeyer, CAS). It belongs to the subfamily Loricariinae, the whiptail and twig catfishes, within the family Loricariidae.
The genus name Harttia honours Charles Frederick Hartt (1840–1878), the geologist and naturalist of the imperial Brazilian survey. The specific epithet 'punctata' is Latin for 'spotted' or 'blotched', referring to the species' colour pattern.
Morphology
Harttia punctata reaches a maximum recorded size of about 6.5 in standard length (SL) in males or unsexed specimens, with females recorded to roughly 5.5 in SL; a maximum published weight of about 66 g has been reported. The head is short and relatively deep (2 to 2.6 times in head length), set on a short body with an overall elongated, flattened form characteristic of the Loricariinae.
The species carries a spotted colour pattern associated with the abdominal scutation, which includes a longitudinal row of irregular plates. The pectoral spine bears a dermal, non-filamentous extension. There are 27 to 29 lateral plates, and the lateral keels converge at the 18th to 19th plate. The rictal barbel is short and inconspicuous, and the opercle is triangular.
Habitat
Harttia punctata is found in the upper and middle Tocantins River basin of Brazil. It is a freshwater, benthopelagic species of tropical waters. No detailed field data on temperature, pH, substrate or current at its collection sites are available in the consulted sources.
Feeding
No diet study has been published for Harttia punctata. Whiptail catfishes of the subfamily Loricariinae are generally benthic grazers and detritivores that feed on biofilm, algae and small invertebrates on sandy or rocky bottoms, but the specific feeding habits of this species are undocumented.
Mating
No data published. Courtship and mating behaviour for Harttia punctata have not been described.
Breeding
No breeding report exists for Harttia punctata. Several Harttia species are known to be substrate egg-layers with male brooding of an adhesive egg patch, but this has not been documented for H. punctata specifically, and no reproductive data should be assumed.
In the aquarium
There are no published husbandry data for Harttia punctata, and it is not an established aquarium species. Any care recommendations would be speculative.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List assessed Harttia punctata as Least Concern, with the assessment dated 7 November 2018. The classification reflects the absence of identified major threats across its Tocantins-basin range at the time of evaluation.