Characidae, the characids or characins, is a family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish belonging to the order Characiformes. The name "characins" is a historical one, but scientists today tend to prefer "characids" to reflect their status as a, by and large, monophyletic group. To arrive there, this family has undergone much systematic and taxonomic change. Among those fishes remaining in the Characidae currently are the tetras, comprising the very similar genera Hemigrammus and Hyphessobrycon, as well as a few related forms, such as the cave and neon tetras. Fish of this family are important as food in several regions, and also constitute a large percentage of captive freshwater aquarium fish species.
Hyphessobrycon is a genus of freshwater fish in the family Characidae. These species are among the fishes known as tetras. The genus is distributed in the Neotropical realm from southern Mexico to Río de la Plata in Argentina. Many of these species are native to South America; about six species are from Central America and a single species, H. compressus is from southern Mexico.
Astyanax is a genus of freshwater fish in the family Characidae of the order Characiformes. Some of these fish, like many of their relatives, are kept as aquarium pets and known collectively as tetras. With around 150 described species and new ones being described yearly, this genus is among the largest of the entire order; Hyphessobrycon also has more than 145 species and which one is larger at any one time depends on whether more species have been recently described in one or the other. The blind and colorless cave tetra of Mexico is a famous member of the genus, but its taxonomic position is disputed: Some recognize it as part of the Mexican tetra and this is supported by phylogenetic evidence, but others recognize the cave form as a separate species, A. jordani.
Franz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist. He published over 200 papers on fishes and over 50 papers on reptiles and amphibians. Steindachner described hundreds of new species of fish and dozens of new amphibians and reptiles. At least seven species of reptile have been named after him.
The wattle-necked softshell turtle, also commonly known as Steindachner's soft-shelled turtle, is an endangered Asian species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is the only member of the genus Palea.
Luciobarbus steindachneri is a species of cyprinid fish. It is here placed in Luciobarbus following the IUCN, but that genus is very closely related to the other typical barbels and perhaps better considered a mere subgenus of Barbus.
The speckle-chested piculet is a species of bird in subfamily Picumninae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is endemic to Peru.
Brycon insignis, the Tiete tetra, is a species of fish in the family Characidae. It is endemic to the Paraíba do Sul River basin in southeast Brazil. B. insignis migrates upstream to spawn and has traditionally been important to fisheries, but it is now a threatened species.
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.
Raiamas steindachneri is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Raiamas.
Bario steindachneri is a species of characin from Brazil and Peru. It is the only member of the genus Bario. It is found in a freshwater environment within a pelagic depth range in a tropical climate.
Piabucus is a genus of freshwater tetras in the family Iguanodectidae. All three species are found in South America, largely the Amazon and its major tributaries. None of them are longer than half a foot long, with the largest reaching a maximum size of 12.9 cm (5.1 in), and they are slender, with relatively deep chests and long pectoral fins. Their scales are pale or silvery, with lateral lines that stand out.
Herichthys steindachneri, Steindachner's cichlid, is a species of cichlid endemic to Mexico where it is found in the Tamasopo, Gallinas and Ojo Frio Rivers of the Panuco River basin. It reaches a maximum size of 40.0 centimetres (15.7 in) SL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade. The specific name honours the Austrian ichthyologist Franz Steindachner (1834-1919).
Abralia steindachneri is a species of enoploteuthid cephalopod found in Indo-Pacific waters, from east Africa to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan and northern Australia.
Carlastyanax aurocaudatus is a small species of freshwater fish in the family Characidae native to the Río Cauca in Colombia. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Carlastyanax, which was named in 1972 specifically for the species by Jacques Géry. Upon description, it was named Astyanax aurocaudatus by Carl H. Eigenmann. There has been debate concerning whether or not the genus should be recognized, but C. aurocaudatus is currently considered a valid species.
Protocheirodon pi, is a South American species of fish in the family Characidae found in Amazonas-Solimões, Purus, Madeira and Ucayali rivers. This species is the only member of its genus.
Lioscincus steindachneri, also known commonly as the white-lipped forest skink or Steindachner's ground skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Caledonia.
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.
Hyphessobrycon compressus, the Mayan tetra, is a species of tetra, belonging to the family Characidae. It is the northernmost species in the genus Hyphessobrycon, as well as its type species.
Astyanax aramburui is a small freshwater fish from the rivers of South America, restricted to a relatively small region within the Paraná and Uruguay river basins of Argentina. It was named after the scientist who established a professional presence for ichthyology in the country, Raúl Arámburu. Considered a near-threatened species by the IUCN, its range includes creeks in a sub-basin affected by various forms of pollution.
