| Erythrinus erythrinus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Erythrinidae |
| Genus: | Erythrinus |
| Species: | E. erythrinus |
| Binomial name | |
| Erythrinus erythrinus | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
Erythrinus erythrinus, the red wolf fish, is a relatively small species of trahira (family Erythrinidae) from freshwater habitats in South America. [3]
E. erythrinus is a South American freshwater fish that is native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins, as well as rivers in the Guianas. [3] The species is also reported as native to the Paraná—Paraguay basin, including the Pantanal, [4] [5] but the population in the lower Paraná basin and Iguazu basin may be an undescribed species. [6] E. erythrinus has been introduced to the upper Paraná basin where not native. [7] It mainly lives in creeks and marshes where the water has a pH of 5.6–7.8. [3]
E. erythrinus can reach a maximum standard length of 20 cm (7.9 in), although other reports suggest it can reach about 25 cm (10 in). [3]
It feeds primarily on small fish, insects, and benthic crustaceans. [8] Juveniles are aggressive mimics of female aplocheilid killifish, notably Laimosemion agilae , and they use this to catch male killifish that seek a mate. [9]
E. erythrinus is not of major interest to fisheries, but is sometimes used as a bait fish [6] and seen in the aquarium fish trade. [3]
It was described by Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Schneider in 1801, [10] originally under the lizardfish genus Synodus . The species was first placed in Erythrinus in 1854 by Gray (under the name Erythrinus salmoneus, a junior synonym of Erythrinus erythrinus), and this treatment has been recognized by recent authorities such as Osvaldo Takeshi Oyakawa in 2003. [11]
