Brachyhypopomus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brachyhypopomus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Gymnotiformes
Family:
Hypopomidae
Genus:
Brachyhypopomus

Mago-Leccia, 1994
Type species
Rhamphichthys brevirostris

Brachyhypopomus is a genus of fish in the family Hypopomidae (bluntnose knifefish) native primarily to tropical and subtropical South America (south to the Río de la Plata Basin), although a single species, B. occidentalis, also occurs in Panama and Costa Rica.[1][2] They are found in a wide range of static or slow-flowing freshwater habitats such as edges of rivers, streams, floodplains and swamps, but they are absent from deep river channels (a habitat of many other knifefish).[2] There are both species in well-oxygenated waters and poorly oxygenated waters; those in the latter have adaptions that allow them to survive this like larger gills or the capability of gulping up mouthfuls of air from the water surface.[2][3] Brachyhypopomus feed during the night on small invertebrates.[2]

They are small to medium sized knifefish, reaching up to 12–46 cm (4.7–18.1 in) in total length depending on the species involved.[1][2] Overall the various species are similar in general shape, but they do differ in morphometrics and meristics. They vary in general color and pattern, but are well-camouflaged and typically brownish. During the night they change color and become very pale, even species that are dark-colored during the day. Brachyhypopomus are very similar to Microsternarchus and Procerusternarchus.[2]

Species[]

There are currently 28 recognized species in this genus:[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2017). Species of Brachyhypopomus in FishBase. June 2017 version.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Crampton, W.G.R., de Santana, C.D., Waddell, J.C. & Lovejoy, N.R. (2016): Clifford,W,J A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical electric fish genus Brachyhypopomus (Ostariophysi: Gymnotiformes: Hypopomidae), with descriptions of 15 new species. Neotropical Ichthyology, 14 (4): e150146.
  3. ^ Carvalho, L.N.; L. Fidelis; R. Arruda; A. Galuch; K. Zuanon (2013). "Second floor, please: the fish fauna of floating litter banks in Amazonian streams and rivers". Neotrop. Ichthyol. 11 (1): 78–91. doi:10.1590/S1679-62252013000100010.
  4. ^ a b Sullivan, J.P., Zuanon, J. & Cox Fernandes, C. (2013): Two new species and a new subgenus of toothed Brachyhypopomus electric knifefishes (Gymnotiformes, Hypopomidae) from the central Amazon and considerations pertaining to the evolution of a monophasic electric organ discharge. ZooKeys, 327: 1–34.
Retrieved from ""