Ctenoluciidae

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Ctenoluciidae
Ctenolucius hujeta 2.jpg
Ctenolucius hujeta
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Suborder: Characoidei
Family: Ctenoluciidae
Schultz, 1944 [1]
Genera

See text

Ctenoluciidae the pike-characins, is a small family of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Characiformes,the characin-like fishes. The fishes in this genus are found in Panama and South America.

The name of the family is derived from its type genus, Ctenolucius, and combines cteno, from the Greek ktenós meaning "comb", and the Latin lucius, which means a pike. [2]

They have elongated, pike-like bodies, and several sharp and conical teeth. They are relatively large, up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length, predatory fish. [3]

Some of these fish, such as Ctenolucius hujeta , enter the aquarium fish hobby, often being labeled a "freshwater barracuda" or "freshwater needlefish", descriptions of fish that are both unrelated to members of this family.[ citation needed ]

Genera

The two genera in this group are: [4]

References

  1. Richard van der Laan; William N. Eschmeyer & Ronald Fricke (2014). "Family-group names of recent fishes". Zootaxa. 3882 (2): 1–230. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1 . PMID   25543675.
  2. Christopher Scharpf (4 October 2023). "Family CTENOLUCIIDAE Schultz 1944 (Pike Characids)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  3. Weitzman, S.H.; Vari, R.P. (1998). Paxton, J.R.; Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 102. ISBN   0-12-547665-5.
  4. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Ctenoluciidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 2 Jun 2025.