Crossoloricaria is a genus of whiptail catfish in the pleco family Loricariidae, subfamily Loricariinae, native to fast-flowing rivers and streams in Colombia, Panama and Venezuela. The atlas's 3 species (C. cephalaspis, C. variegata, C. venezuelae) run 4.5–7 in and share the whiptail body plan typical of the subfamily: a flattened, armor-plated body that tapers into a long, slender caudal peduncle, and a ventral sucker-mouth used to graze biofilm, algae and small invertebrates off rocks and submerged wood in current.
Crossoloricaria has little presence in the mainstream aquarium trade compared to bushynose and common plecos; the mottled whiptail (C. variegata) is the species most likely to carry a hobby name, while the other two are known mainly from ichthyological collections. As with many loricariines, males in this genus likely take on egg-guarding duties in a cave or crevice, though detailed breeding accounts for Crossoloricaria specifically are scarce. All three species are currently assessed Least Concern, consistent with a genus that occupies flowing habitat across a reasonably wide range rather than a single threatened locality.