Pterodoras is a genus of thorny catfish in the family Doradidae, native to major river systems across northern and central South America, including Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru. The genus's 2 species in the atlas are large, 19.5–21.5 in, with the bony lateral scute row, stout body, and long barbels typical of doradid catfish, and like many doradids they are capable of producing audible sounds by stridulating their pectoral spines - the trait behind the family's 'talking catfish' nickname.
The granulated catfish (Pterodoras granulosus) is the better known of the two, valued regionally as a food fish and occasionally kept by large-aquarium and pond enthusiasts, though its adult size makes it impractical for typical home tanks. Rivas's thorny catfish (P. rivasi) is less documented. Conservation status is only lightly assessed for the genus - one species is Least Concern and the other has not yet been evaluated - with no indication of major population concern at this time.