Myloplus asterias, the redgill pacu, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the familySerrasalmidae, which includes the pacus and piranhas. This fish is found in northern South America.
Myloplus asterias is the type species of the genus Myloplus, this taxon was originally proposed as a subgenus of Myletes, this being a name which has been suppressed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature as a synonym of Alestes. The proposer of this genus, Theodore Gill, did not explain its etymology, it may be a combination of Mylo-, a reference to disk-shaped body and a prefix used for similary shaped fishes in the same family, with plus, which means "more", i.e., another Myleus-like genus. The specific name, asterias, is a Greek word meaning a "starred fish" or "starred bird", what this referred to was not explaind by Müller and Troschel but it may be an allusion to the circular orange spots on the body of this fish.[6]
Description
Myloplus asterias has a maximum published total length of 25cm (9.8in).[7] This species is often confused with M. rubripinnis but by can be distinguished by a number of characteristics of the neurocranial anatomy, connected to the reduced frontal bone. It also differs from M. rubripinnis by certain meristic and morphometric characters, and on having a wide , vertical black band on its eyes.[8]
Distribution and habitat
Myloplus asteriasis found in the Amazon basin, the Orinoco and the rivers of the northern and eastern Guiana Shield, its range includes Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. It is found in the main river channels in tehvisv=cinity of rapids and along banks where there is calm water.[1]
Jégu, M., 2003. Serrasalminae (Pacus and piranhas). p. 182-196. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil.
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