Bryconops melanurus

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Bryconops melanurus
Bryconops melanurus illustration (1912).jpg
1912 illustration
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Iguanodectidae
Genus: Bryconops
Species:
B. melanurus
Binomial name
Bryconops melanurus
(Bloch, 1794)

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.

Contents

Description

Bryconops melanurus reaches a maximum total length of about 13.2 cm (5.2 in), [1] which puts it on the larger side of the genus Bryconops . [2] The head is slender, with a pointed snout, and B. melanurus lacks a humeral spot of the kind frequently seen in congeners (such as B. humeralis and B. inpai ). [3] B. melanurus shares aspects of its jaw structure, which is rather lengthened, with B. inpai, B. affinis , and B. giacopinii . [4] (This was used to place giacopinii in the genus Bryconops instead of its originally described Autanichthys.) [4]

Bryconops melanurus is a silvery, slender fish with a darker back. [5] The caudal fin has distinctive markings, but lacks a well-formed ocellus (eyespot). There is a dark stripe about the width of the pupil that veers from the center of this fin up towards the dorsal lobe, and the caudal-fin margins are dusky. [6] The rest of the fin is either light in pigment (usually yellowish) [5] or entirely clear. [7]

Bryconops melanurus has noted morphological similarities with congeners B. transitoria and B. gracilis , but can be differentiated based on morphometric specifics and differences in fin structure; for instance, B. transitoria has 23-27 anal-fin rays, whereas B. melanurus has 28–29. [8] B. melanurus is also known to be similar to B. cytogaster , but cyrtogaster has a deeper body and a greater number of anal-fin rays (30-31). [9]

While it lacks a common name accepted by the wider scientific community, [10] hobbyists know it as the tail-light tetra. [11] [12] [13] It should not be confused with the head-and-tail light tetra, Hemigrammus ocellifer, which is a different fish in the same order, Characiformes.

Taxonomy

1797 illustration, labeled Salmo melanurus Bryconops melanurus illustration (1797).jpg
1797 illustration, labeled Salmo melanurus

Bryconops melanurus, when originally described by German naturalist Marcus Elieser Bloch in 1794, was named Salmo melanurus, and was listed as a salmon native to Suriname. [5] [14] (In modern taxonomy, the name Salmo applies to a genus in the family Salmonidae that encompasses trout and salmon from Europe. B. melanurus is not native to Europe, nor is it a salmon.)

By 1926, it had been moved to the genus Creatochanes, which is reflected in a paper by English ichthyologist John Roxborough Norman. [9] Creatochanes is no longer considered a standalone genus, and is instead a subgenus of Bryconops to which B. melanurus belongs. [8] (This makes its full name Bryconops (Creatochanes) melanurus.)

DNA barcoding has revealed that B. melanurus is most closely related to B. transitoria and B. caudomaculatus , moreso the former than the latter. [15]

Habitat and ecology

The type locality of B. melanurus is Suriname, but no specific river was given in the original description. [5] Specimens have been cited from the Caraipé, Curuá, Madeira, and Moju rivers in modern accounts, [8] as well as the Tapajós. [15] Within this range, it seems to demonstrate no preference for any one biotope in particular, but does prefer living in groups. [1]

Diet

Bryconops melanurus feeds primarily on insects. [1] This is in line with the rest of the genus, members of which are largely invertivores, with a few noted herbivores on the list. [16] Specific dietary habits are unclear, but may be similar to habits of congeners B. inpai and B. magoi , which feed on terrestrial insects that are either washed into the river or that fall from trees hanging above. [17] [18]

Conservation status

Bryconops melanurus has not been evaluated by the IUCN. [1] While it is known to be exported from Peru for use in the aquatics industry, [19] and it has a presence in hobbyist communities, [12] it is not thought to be endangered. Aquarists know it not to fare particularly well in tank settings, partially because it is an active swimmer that needs plenty of space. [1]

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">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.

<i>Bryconops alburnoides</i> Species of 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.

Bryconops colanegra is a small, slender-bodied species of freshwater fish from South America, about 3.5 in long. It has a black tail fin that bears hints of red, and its scales are dark along the back, transitioning to a silver belly. It is endemic to a single river system in Venezuela, the Rio Caroní.

<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.

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

Bryconops cyrtogaster is a midsize species of freshwater fish found in the Oyapock river in French Guiana and Brazil. It is overall silver, with an indistinct dark patch at the base of the tail fin that spreads onto the fin rays slightly. Originally described in 1926 under a different baisonym, it was the subject of a redescription in June 2020.

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.

<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.

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

Bryconops transitoria is a small freshwater fish that lives in the rivers of South America. It is a poorly-studied member of the genus Bryconops with few records and vague distribution accounts, though it is believed to be endemic to the Rio Tapajós. It was originally thought to be a subspecies of congener Bryconops melanurus, but is now accepted as its own species.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Bryconops melanurus" in FishBase . October 2022 version.
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2022). Species of Bryconops in FishBase . October 2022 version.
  3. ↑ Knöppel, Hans-armin; Junk, Wolfgang; Géry, Jacques (January 1968). "Bryconops (Creatochanes) Inpai, A New Characoid Fish From The Central Amazon Region, With A Review Of The Genus Bryconops". Amazoniana. 1 (3): 231–246. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  4. 1 2 Chernoff, Barry; Buckup, Paulo Andreas; Machado-Allison, Antonio; Royero, Ramiro (1 February 1994). "Systematic Status and Neotype Designation for Autanichthys giacopinii Fernández-Yépez with Comments on the Morphology of Bryconops melanurus (Bloch)". Copeia. 1994 (1): 238–242. doi:10.2307/1446694. JSTOR   1446694 . Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Bloch, Marcus Elieser (1794). Bloch's Oeconomische Naturgeschichte der Fische Deutschlands (in German). Vol. 4. Berlin: J. Morino & Company. p. 104. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  6. ↑ Chernoff, Barry; Machado-Allison, Antonio (13 December 2005). "Bryconops magoi and Bryconops collettei (Characiformes: Characidae), two new freshwater fish species from Venezuela, with comments on B. caudomaculatus (Günther)". Zootaxa. 1094 (1): 23. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1094.1.1. ISSN   1175-5334 – via Biotaxa.
  7. ↑ Chernoff, Barry; Machado-Allison, Antonio (31 December 2005). "Bryconops". doi:10.5281/zenodo.6265593.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. 1 2 3 Silva-Oliveira, Cárlison; Canto, André Luiz C.; Ribeiro, Frank Raynner V. (30 July 2015). "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.
  9. 1 2 Norman, J. R. (1 July 1926). "XI.—Descriptions of nine new freshwater fishes from French Guiana and Brazil". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 18 (103): 91–97. doi:10.1080/00222932608633482 . Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  10. ↑ "Bryconops melanurus (Bloch 1794) Names". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  11. ↑ Dawes, John (2001). Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium (1st ed.). New York: Firefly Books. p. 195. ISBN   9781552975442 . Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  12. 1 2 "Tail Light Tetra - Bryconops melanurus". Aquaticcommunity.com. Aquatic Community. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  13. ↑ Goulding, M.; Caas, C.; Barthem, R.; Forsberg, B.; Ortega, H. (2003). Amazon Headwaters - Rivers,Wildlife, and Conservation in Southeastern Peru (1st ed.). Lima, Peru: Asociación para la Conservación de la Cuenca Amazónica. ISBN   9789972402890 . Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  14. ↑ Reis, Roberto; Toledo-piza Ragazzo, Monica; Harold, Antony; Pavanelli, Carla; Buckup, Paulo A. (2003). "Genera incertae sedis in Characidae" . Retrieved 31 October 2022.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  15. 1 2 Guimarães, Karen Larissa Auzier; de Sousa, Marcos Paulo Alho; Ribeiro, Frank Raynner Vasconcelos; Porto, Jorge Ivan Rebelo; Rodrigues, Luís Reginaldo Ribeiro (21 December 2018). "DNA barcoding of fish fauna from low order streams of Tapajós River basin". PLOS ONE. 13 (12): e0209430. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209430 . PMC   6303048 . PMID   30576366.
  16. ↑ Echevarría, Gabriela; González, Nirson (November 2018). "Fish taxonomic and functional diversity in mesohabitats of the River Kakada, Caura National Park, Venezuela". Nature Conservation Research. 3 (Suppl. 2). doi: 10.24189/ncr.2018.048 . Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  17. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Bryconops inpai" in FishBase . October 2022 version.
  18. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Bryconops magoi" in FishBase . October 2022 version.
  19. ↑ Prang, Gregory. (2007). An industry analysis of the freshwater ornamental fishery with particular reference to the supply of Brazilian freshwater ornamentals to the UK market. Uakari. 3. 10.31420/uakari.v3i1.18.
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