Characidae |
![Bleeding-heart tetra Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma](./modules/Fish-MM/images/250px-Kirschflecksalmler-W.jpg)
Bleeding-heart tetra
Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma
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Scientific classification |
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Genera |
Subfamily
Aphyocharacinae
Aphyocharax
Subfamily
Bryconinae
Chalceus
Subfamily
Characidiinae
8 genera
Subfamily
Characinae
Acanthocharax
Acestrocephalus
Charax
Cynopotamus
Galeocharax
Gnathocharax
Heterocharax
Hoplocharax
Priocharax
Roeboides
Thayeria
...
Subfamily
Crenuchinae
Crenuchus
Poecilocharax
Subfamily
Glandulocaudinae
16 genera
Subfamily
Iguanodectinae
Iguanodectes
Piabucus
Subfamily
Rhodasiinae
Carlana
Rhoadsia
Parastremma
Subfamily
Serrasalminae
Catoprion
Colossoma
Metynnis
Myleus
Mylossoma
Pygocentrus
Serrasalmus
and 6 other genera
Subfamily
Tetragonopterinae
Astyanax - Astynaxes
Byconamericus
Bryconops
Cheirodon
Gymnocorymbus
Hemibrycon
Hemigrammus
Hyphessobrycon
Inpaichthys
Megalamphodus
Moenkhausia
Oligosarcus
Paracheirodon
Rachoviscus
Tetragonopterus
Tyttobrycon
...
Subfamily - Incertae Sedis
(i.e., taxonomic placement at this level uncertain)
Boehlkea
Exodon
Hasemania
Nematobrycon
Oligosarcus
Petitella
Roeboexodon |
The Characidae or Characins are a family of
freshwater subtropical and tropical fish, belonging to the
order Characiformes. They originate in the Americas from
southwestern Texas and Mexico through Central and South
America. They vary in length with the smallest growing to a
maximum length of 0.5 in (13 mm).
To some extent the family has served as a junk-basket
category in the past. More recent revision has moved many
former members of the family into their own related but
distinct families - the Pencilfishes of the genus
Nannostomus are a typical example, having now been moved
into the Lebiasinidae, the assorted predatory characins
belonging to Hoplias and Hoplerythrinus have
now been moved into the Erythrinidae, and the Sabre-Toothed
Fishes of the genus Hydrolycus have been moved into
the Cynodontidae. There is still much revision needed, but
progress in this area is being maintained at a steady pace.
Among those fishes that remain in the Characidae for the
time being are the
tetras, comprising the very similar genera Hemigrammus
and Hyphessobrycon, as well as a few related forms. These
include the cave and neon tetras.
The larger
piranhas were originally classified as belonging to the
Characidae, but various revisions place them in their own
related family, the Serrasalmidae. This reassignment has yet
to enjoy universal acceptance, but is gaining in popularity
among taxonomists working with these fishes. Given the
current state of flux of the Characidae, a number of other
changes will doubtless take place, reassigning once-familiar
species to other families. Indeed, the entire phylogeny of
the Ostariophysans (fishes possessing a Weberian apparatus) has yet to be conclusively settled,
and until that phylogeny is settled, the opportunity for yet
more upheavals within the taxonomy of the Characoid fishes
is considerable.
Related Families
The fishes whose families and genera are listed below are
a diverse selection of fishes that were formerly classified
as members of the Characidae, but which were moved into
separate families of their own during recent taxonomic
revisions (post-1994).
Family
Acestrorhynchidae - South American Pike Characins
-
Acestrorhynchus - Pike Characins or Freshwater
Barracudas
Family
Alestiidae - African tetras
- Alestes (or Brycinus)
Hydrocynus - African Tigerfishes
Micralestes
Phenacogrammus
Rhabdalestes
- and 13 other genera
Family
Anostomidae - Headstanders
- Anostomus
Abramites
Leporinus
Rhytiodus
Sartor
Schizodon
Family
Chilodontidae - Headstanders
Family
Citharinidae
- Belonophago - African Pike Characins
Citharidium
Citharinops
Citharinus
Congocharax
Distichodus
Dundocharax
Eugnaichthys
Hemigrammocharax
Hemistochodus
Ichthyborus
Mesoborus
Microstomatichthyoborus
Nannaethiops
Nannocharax
Neolebias
Paradistichodus
Paraphago - African Pike Characins
Phago - African Pike Characins
Xenocharax
Family
Ctenoluciidae - Pike Characoids & Gar Characins
- Boulengerella
Ctenolucius - Gar Characins
Family
Curimatidae
- Curimata
Curimatella
Curimatopsis
Cyphocharax
Potamorhina
Psectrogaster
Pseudocurimata
Steindachnerina
Family
Cynodontidae - Dogtooth Characins
- Cynodon
Gilbertolus
Hydrolycus - Sabre Tooth Fishes
Rhaphiodon
Roestes
Family
Erythrinidae - Pirate Fishes, Trahiras
- Erythrinus
Hoplias - Trahiras or Destroyers
Hoplerythrinus
Family
Gasteropelecidae - Hatchet Fishes
- Carnegiella - Dwarf Hatchet Fishes
Gasteropelecus - Hatchet Fishes
Thoracocharax
Family
Hemiodontidae
- Anodus
Argonectes
Bivibranchia
Hemiodus
Micromischodus
Family
Hepsetidae - Kafue Pike (monotypic)
-
Hepsetus - sole species H. odoe, Kafue
Pike
Family
Lebiasinidae - Pencil Fishes and allies
- Copeina
Copella - Splashing Tetras
Derhamia
Lebiasina
Piabucina
Pyrrhulina
Nannostomus - Pencil Fishes
Family
Parodontidae
- Apareiodon
Parodon
Saccodon
Family
Prochilodontidae
- Ichthyoelephas
Prochilodus
Semaprochilodus
References
- "Characidae." ITIS Standard Report. (Integrated
Taxonomic Information System: National Museum of
Natural History, Washington, D.C., 2004-10-13). URL:
ITIS 162848
- "Family Characidae - Characins." FishBase.
ed. Froese, R. and D. Pauly (08/2004), URL:
Characidae
- Géry, Jacques, Characoids of the World,
ISBN 0-87666-458-3