| Creagrutus xiphos | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Stevardiidae |
| Genus: | Creagrutus |
| Species: | C. xiphos |
| Binomial name | |
| Creagrutus xiphos | |
Creagrutus xiphos is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a characin, belonging to the family Stevardiidae. [2] [1]
 |
It is native to South America, occurring in the Mato River within the Caura River basin, part of the Orinoco River drainage in Venezuela. The Caura River is one of the largest and most pristine tributaries of the Orinoco, flowing through extensive tracts of tropical rainforest and supporting remarkable aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. The Mato River, as a sub‑basin of the Caura, contributes to this hydrological network, linking upland streams with the broader Orinoco system. Together, these waters form part of one of the most ecologically significant regions of northern South America, where high endemism and diverse habitats underscore the importance of the Orinoco basin as a center of Neotropical freshwater biodiversity.
This species reaches a length of 2.8 cm (1.1 in). [3]
The species name derives from the Greek xíphos (ξίφος), meaning ‘sword’ or ‘saber,’ in reference to its elongate head and body. [4]
