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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 disruptus is a small freshwater fish of the family Iguanodectidae. It is only found in the Rio Negro in South America. Like the rest of the genus Bryconops, B. disruptus is silvery in color, with a relatively deep chest and a notable set of teeth. The specific epithet "disruptus" refers to the incomplete lateral line.
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.
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.
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.
Bryconops melanurus, sometimes called the tail-light tetra, is a small species of freshwater fish from South America that primarily preys on insects. It lives in small schools and is an active swimmer, which means that it requires open space in its habitat. Nonetheless, it does not demonstrate a strong preference for any one biotope within its native range.
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.
Bryconops tocantinensis is a small freshwater fish from the rivers of Brazil. It has yellow-gold scales on its back and white scales on its belly, with a bright-silver stripe marking the divide between the two. It gets the name "tocantinensis" from its endemism to the upper Tocantins basin drainage - specifically, the Conceição River.
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.
Bryconops chernoffi is a species of freshwater fish that inhabits the rivers of Brazil. Specifically, it is found in the Rio Maicuru and Rio Ipixuna; the latter is a tributary of the former, which is a tributary of the Amazon river main. B. chernoffi demonstrates a preference for clear-water streams with sandy and rocky bottoms.
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.
