Bryconops alburnoides

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Bryconops alburnoides
Bryconops alburnoides.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Iguanodectidae
Genus: Bryconops
Species:
B. alburnoides
Binomial name
Bryconops alburnoides
Kner, 1858

Bryconops alburnoides is a small freshwater fish, approximately 6 inches long at its largest, that lives in the rivers of South America. It has a slender body, with a yellowish dorsal fin and yellow-tinged back scales that fade into silver on its belly. It is largely an insectivore that picks land-dwelling insects from the riverbanks, though it eats much more whenever rain washes prey into the water.

Contents

Description

Bryconops alburnoides reaches 15 cm (5.9 inches) at a maximum in standard length (tail fin not included), with a generally elongated body. [1] [2] The genus Bryconops as a whole has been described as slender-bodied and "smelt-like", similar to sister genus Piabucus ; [3] B. alburnoides is no exception. B. alburnoides is one of the larger members of the genus by a considerable margin. [2] [4]

The lateral line has 50 to 62 scales. [2] B. alburnoides has a yellowish dorsal fin, which is a feature that can be used to distinguish it from other members of the genus that look similar. [5] The upper and lower margins of the caudal fin are also tinted yellow. [4] A congener, Bryconops gracilis , has frequently been misidentified as B. alburnoides, thanks to a yellowish dorsal fin and a similar number of lateral-line scales. [6] However, B. alburnoides has three rows of premaxillary teeth, while B. gracilis only has two, making for a definitive way to tell the two apart.

Taxonomy

Upon describing Bryconops alburnoides in 1858, Austrian ichthyologist Rudolf Kner established Bryconops as a new genus. [7] He also described a congener, B. lucidus, but this has since been synonymized with B. alburnoides. [8] [9] As a result, B. alburnoides is the type species of the genus. [10] Bryconops lucidus is the only synonym of Bryconops alburnoides. [11] [12]

When originally described, the genus Bryconops was placed in the family Characidae. [7] Research from Oliveira et al. prompted Bryconops, along with sister genera Piabucus and Iguanodectes , to be moved to the family Iguanodectidae in 2011, which was revived from the work of ichthyologist Carl H. Eigenmann. [13] [14] Therefore, B. alburnoides is a characiform fish of the family Iguanodectidae.

Bryconops has long known to be related to Brycon , Tetragonopterus , and Chalceus , which are its most closely related characiform genera. [2] [7] Within the genus Bryconops, B. alburnoides is isolated from the subgenus Creatochanes and from the Bryconops caudomaculatus species complex; it is not considered a member of Creatochanes, and there are six members of the subgenus Bryconops, five of which are part of the aforementioned complex. [4] B. alburnoides is the sole remainder.

Etymology

Many members of the genus Bryconops draw comparisons to other taxa, but B. alburnoides in particular bears a resemblance to members of the cyprinid genus Alburnus . This, in fact, is the origin of its specific epithet; the suffix "–oides" means "with the form of" or "resembling", hence alburnoides. [15]

The genus name Bryconops in itself is a reference to another taxon - Brycon is a genus of characins that also lives in South America. [16] Therefore, B. alburnoides' full scientific name means "resembling Brycon and Alburnus". The name Brycon originates in Greek, and comes from the word "bryko", which means "to bite" or "to eat". [1] [17] This is in reference to the notable set of teeth that all members of the genus are equipped with.

The name alburnoides is also used for the genus Alburnoides , consisting of cyprinid fishes that inhabit Europe and Asia. Outside of similar nomenclature, Alburnoides is entirely unrelated to B. alburnoides.

Habitat and ecology

Like the rest of the genus Bryconops, B. alburnoides is found solely in South American freshwater habitats. [18] [19] It is local to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins, as well as flood-plain lakes in the lower Orinoco region. [1] [4]

Bryconops alburnoides is an insectivore, demonstrating a marked preference for terrestrial insects. Its consumption increases opportunistically with windy and rainy weather, which sweeps more prey into its aquatic habitat. [20] This is in line with other members of the genus, all of which have a diet that consists at least partially of insects.

Related Research Articles

<i>Bryconops</i> Genus of fishes

Bryconops is a genus of freshwater fish in the family Iguanodectidae from South America. It consists of small fish, all under half-a-foot long, with slender bodies and silvery scales, though there is some mild color variation. Several species can be identified by way of a humeral patch, and others have a reddish ocellus, or eyespot, on one or both lobes of the dorsal fin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iguanodectidae</span> Family of fish

Iguanodectidae is a family of freshwater fish in the order Characiformes that lives in South America. It is home to the subfamily Iguanodectinae and the monotypic Bryconops clade. Several species in the family, such as the green line lizard tetra, the tailspot tetra, and the orangefin tetra, are sometimes taken as aquarium fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iguanodectinae</span> Family of fish

Iguanodectinae is a subfamily of small freshwater fish in the family Iguanodectidae. They are most prominently found in the Amazon river basin and its major tributaries, but they are also known from the Tocantins, Orinoco, and Paraguay rivers. It has two genera, Piabucus and Iguanodectes. Some species in the subfamily are taken from the wild for aquariums, like the red- and green-line lizard tetras. There is minor, but ongoing, debate regarding its taxonomy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orangefin tetra</span> Species of fish

The orangefin tetra is a small species of freshwater fish from South America that belongs to the family Iguanodectidae. Though common in its native range, it seems to prefer fast-flowing and shallow creeks. It is an active swimmer that feeds on plant material and various invertebrates, sometimes jumping out of the water to catch prey above the surface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tailspot tetra</span> Species of fish

The tailspot tetra is a freshwater fish that lives in the coastal river regions of upper South America. Both its common and scientific names reference the distinct spot of color present on the tail fin, which is one of its defining characteristics. It is a small fish, reaching 4.8 in at its longest. Despite its small size, it is an active swimmer, with a preference for fast-flowing waters.

<i>Bryconops colaroja</i> Species of fish

Bryconops colaroja is a small species of fish endemic to tributaries and creeks of the Cuyuni River basin in Venezuela. The specific epithet "colaroja" means "red tailed", and it gets this name from its most distinctive feature - a deep red caudal fin, largely unique amongst members of its genus.

<i>Bryconops collettei</i> Species of fish

Bryconops collettei is a small freshwater fish from the rivers of South America. It is mostly silvery, with notable green iridescence on its sides, and a diffuse ocellus (eyespot) on the upper lobe of the caudal fin. Before its distinction as a separate species, specimens of B. collettei were misidentified as specimens of Bryconops caudomaculatus due to several morphological similarities, including a caudal ocellus and generally similar fin coloration.

Bryconops durbinae, sometimes listed under the name Bryconops durbini, is a small species of freshwater fish in the family Iguanodectidae. It is the smallest species of the genus Bryconops, and is endemic to the Tapajós river basin in Brazil.

<i>Bryconops giacopinii</i> Species of fish

Bryconops giacopinii is a mid-sized species of freshwater fish in the family Iguanodectidae. It is the largest member of the genus Bryconops, and is therefore difficult to confuse with any of its congeners. With a diet that consists largely of land-dwelling insects, it serves as an important link between the terrestrial and aquatic aspects of its native range.

<i>Bryconops gracilis</i> Species of fish

Bryconops gracilis is a small species of freshwater fish from the rivers of South America. It is one of multiple species for which the common name "lambari" is used. Though not well-studied, it has been re-described in recent years in order to differentiate it from Bryconops alburnoides, a congener to which it bears a strong resemblance.

Bryconops humeralis is a small freshwater fish distributed across northern South America. The name "humeralis" means "relating to the shoulder", in reference to the distinct humeral patches that the fish sports. It is slightly longer than average in terms of the genus Bryconops, though still firmly within the standard range, and is slightly more slender than is usual for its congeners.

Bryconops inpai is a small freshwater fish native to the rivers of South America. It only lives in two particular river systems - the Casiquiare and Negro - which means that its range is restricted to the northern half of the continent. It has indistinct humeral spots, and is bluish-silver in life, which is unusual for members of Bryconops; they are more often plain silver or greenish-silver.

<i>Bryconops magoi</i> Species of fish

Bryconops magoi is a small species of fish from South America. It is only found in Venezuela, along with sister species Bryconops collettei. Its tail-fin markings help to differentiate it from various congeners, as does its fairly restricted range. It is most closely related to B. collettei and Bryconops caudomaculatus, and it was once considered synonymous with the latter; specimens of B. magoi and B. collettei both were routinely misidentified as B. caudomaculatus before being given species distinction.

Bryconops munduruku is a small freshwater fish of the family Iguanodectidae that lives in the rivers of South America. Its adipose fin is black, with a clear base, and it has two humeral spots, which is a feature it shares with few congeners. Its fins are a variety of yellow, red, black, and clear, and mature males have hooks on select fin-rays.

<i>Bryconops piracolina</i> Species of fish

Bryconops piracolina is a small fish that inhabits the waters of Brazil. It is slender and silvery in color, like many fish in Bryconops, but can be distinguished from other members by way of its dorsal fin, which has a black patch of color extending up from the fin-base; congeners usually have light pigment in the dorsal fin, or a brighter color.

Bryconops vibex is a small freshwater fish from the rivers of Venezuela, known solely from the Rio Cataniapo. The body is slender, though with an element of sturdiness, and it has one humeral spot by each pectoral fin. It bears visual similarities to several congeners, but can be differentiated by way of many factors.

Bryconops allisoni is a species of freshwater fish known from the rivers of Brazil. It is a recent addition to the genus (2019), currently considered a member incertae sedis. Its name honors Antonio Machado-Allison, an ichthyologist responsible for a great deal of work on the genus Bryconops.

<i>Bryconops florenceae</i> Species of fish

Bryconops florenceae is a small freshwater fish that inhabits the rivers of South America. Comprehensive research is lacking due to B. florenceae being the most recently described of the genus, but researchers believe it to be a relatively widespread species. It is found throughout the Maroni, Mana, and Sinnamary river basins, which defines its range within Suriname and French Guiana.

Bryconops hexalepis is a small iguanodectid fish from the rivers of Brazil. It is solely found in the drainage of the Rio Tocantins. Rather elongate and quite slender, it is considered one of the smaller species of its genus, with tall scales and large eyes.

Bryconops rheoruber is a species of freshwater fish from the rivers of Brazil. Its back scales are tan-to-cream, and its belly is silvery; the divide between the two colors is marked by a broad iridescent-silver stripe. Its fins are a mixture of pale, clear, and reddish, which contributed to its specific name. "Rheo" means "flow" or "current" in Greek, and "ruber" means "red" in Latin.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Bryconops alburnoides" in FishBase . April 2022 version.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Machado-Allison, Antonio & Buckup, Paulo & Chernoff, Barry & Royero, Ramiro. (1993). Las especies del genero Bryconops Kner, 1858 en Venezuela (Teleostei, Characiformes) . 14. 1-20.
  3. ↑ "THE FISH FAMILIES". Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas, edited by Peter van der Sleen and James S. Albert, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017, pp. 95-96. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400888801-009
  4. 1 2 3 4 Chernoff, Barry; Machado-Allison, Antonio (2005-12-13). "Bryconops magoi and Bryconops collettei (Characiformes: Characidae), two new freshwater fish species from Venezuela, with comments on B. caudomaculatus (Günther)". Zootaxa. 1094 (1): 1–23. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1094.1.1 . Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  5. ↑ "Bryconops alburnoides Kner, 1858". Museum of the Cerrado. 28 March 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  6. ↑ Silva-Oliveira, Cárlison & Ota, Rafaela & Lima, Flávio & Rapp, Lúcia. (2021). Rediscovering species: redescription of Bryconops gracilis (Characiformes: Iguanodectidae), an often-misidentified species. Neotropical Ichthyology. 19. 10.1590/1982-0224-2021-0054.
  7. 1 2 3 Kner, Rudolf. (1858). Beiträge zur Familie der Characinen. Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe, 30, 75–80. Ανακτήθηκε από https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/233420
  8. ↑ "Bryconops lucidus Kner, 1858". Ocean Biodiversity Information System. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  9. ↑ Silva-Oliveira, Cárlison; Canto, André Luiz C.; Ribeiro, Frank Raynner V. (2015-07-30). "Bryconops munduruku (Characiformes: Characidae), a new species of fish from the lower Tapajós River basin, Brazil". Zootaxa. 3994 (1): 133–141. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3994.1.7. PMID   26250264 – via Biotaxa.
  10. ↑ Eigenmann, Carl H. (1910). Catalogue and bibliography of the fresh water fishes of the Americas south of the Tropic of Cancer. Lancaster, Pa.: Press of the New Era Printing Co. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.11953.
  11. ↑ Rees, Tony (2022-04-03). "Bryconops alburnoides Kner, 1858". Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera . Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Synonyms of Bryconops alburnoides Kner, 1858". FishBase . Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  13. ↑ Oliveira, C., Avelino, G.S., Abe, K.T., Mariguela, T.C., Benine, R.C., Orti, G., Vari, R.P., & Correa e Castro, R.M. (2011): Phylogenetic relationships within the speciose family Characidae (Teleostei: Ostariophysi: Characiformes) based on multilocus analysis and extensive ingroup sampling.  BMC Evolutionary Biology, 11: 275. doi : 10.1186/1471-2148-11-275
  14. ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2022). "Iguanodectidae" in FishBase . March 2022 version.
  15. ↑ Scharpf, Christopher; Lazara, Kenneth J. (15 September 2020). "Order CHARACIFORMES: Families IGUANODECTIDAE, TRIPORTHEIDAE, BRYCONIDAE, CHALCEIDAE and GASTEROPELECIDAE". The ETYFish Project. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  16. ↑ Eigenmann, Carl H.; Meyers, George S. (1917–1929). The American Characidae. Cambridge. pp. 493–499. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  17. ↑ Weitzman, Stanley & Menezes, Naercio & Evers, Hans-Georg & Burns, John. (2005). Putative relationships among inseminating and externally fertilizing characids, with a description of a new genus and species of Brazilian inseminating fish bearing an anal-fin gland in males (Characiformes: Characidae). Neotropical Ichthyology. 3. 329-360. 10.1590/S1679-62252005000300002.
  18. ↑ "Bryconops Kner, 1858". NOAA Copepedia. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  19. ↑ Bryconops alburnoides Kner, 1858 in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2022-04-03.
  20. ↑ Silva, Cylene & Ferreira, Efrem & de Deus, Cláudia. (2008). Diet of Bryconops alburnoides and B-caudomaculatus (Osteichthyes : Characiformes) in the region affected by Balbina Hydroelectric Dam (Amazon drainage, Brazil). Neotropical Ichthyology. 6. 237-242. 10.1590/S1679-62252008000200011.
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