| Ichthyoelephas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ichthyoelephas longirostris | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Prochilodontidae |
| Genus: | Ichthyoelephas Posada, 1909 [1] |
| Type species | |
| Ichthyoelephas patalo, (a synonym of Ichthyoelephas longirostris) Posada, 1909 [1] | |
Ichthyoelephas is a genus of South American freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Prochilodontidae, the bocachicos or flannel-mouthed characiformes. [2]
There are two species in the genus: I. humeralis reaches a length of at least 40 cm (1.3 ft) and is found in the Santiago and Guayas river basins in Ecuador, [3] and I. longirostris reaches a length of 80 cm (2.6 ft) and is found in the Cauca–Magdalena river basin in Colombia. [4]
They feed on algae and detritus that are taken off rocks with their fleshy lips. [5] [6] They are commercially important food fish. [5] [6]
