Taxonomy & naming
Hypoptopoma brevirostratum was described by Aquino and Schaefer in 2010 as part of their systematic revision of the genus Hypoptopoma. It belongs to the subfamily Hypoptopomatinae of the family Loricariidae, the radiation of small suckermouth armoured catfishes.
The genus Hypoptopoma comprises slender, dorsoventrally flattened dwarf loricariids notable for their laterally placed, prominent eyes. The specific epithet brevirostratum refers to the species' short snout, the feature distinguishing it within the revised genus.
Morphology
Hypoptopoma brevirostratum reaches about 2 in total length. It has the flattened, fully armoured body and ventral suckermouth typical of the subfamily, with the comparatively short snout indicated by its name and the characteristically large, laterally set eyes of the genus.
No data on sexual dimorphism in this species are published in the sources consulted.
Habitat
The species occurs in tributaries of the Río Amazonas between the Ucayali–Marañón confluence and Manaus, spanning the upper-to-central Amazon across Peru and Brazil; the type locality is the rio Amazonas one mile upstream of Leticia, Colombia. FishBase classifies it as a freshwater, benthopelagic, tropical species.
Detailed water-chemistry, depth and seasonal data for its habitat are not published in the sources consulted. Hypoptopoma species are typically found in slower marginal waters and among submerged structure, but specific microhabitat records for this species are not available here.
Feeding
No species-specific diet data have been published for Hypoptopoma brevirostratum in the sources consulted. Members of the genus, like other Hypoptopomatinae, are generally grazers of algae, biofilm and associated micro-organisms scraped from submerged surfaces.
Mating
No data on courtship or mating behaviour have been published for this species in the sources consulted.
Breeding
No breeding data — reproductive mode, clutch size, or parental care — have been published for Hypoptopoma brevirostratum in the sources consulted.
In the aquarium
Hypoptopoma brevirostratum is not an established aquarium subject, and no species-specific husbandry record is available in the sources consulted. Small Hypoptopoma in the hobby are generally kept like otocinclus — in mature, clean, well-oxygenated tanks with ample grazing surfaces — but no detailed care guidance can be given for this species without inventing detail.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List assessed Hypoptopoma brevirostratum as Least Concern in 2020, consistent with a relatively broad distribution across central Amazon tributaries. No specific population trend or threat data are provided in the sources consulted.