The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks that form the family Sphyrnidae, named for the unusual and distinctive form of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a cephalofoil. The shark's eyes are placed one on either end of this T-shaped structure, with their small mouths directly centered and underneath. Most hammerhead species are placed in the genus Sphyrna, while the winghead shark is placed in its own genus, Eusphyra. Many different— but not necessarily mutually exclusive—functions have been postulated for the cephalofoil, including sensory reception, manoeuvering, and prey manipulation. The cephalofoil gives the shark superior binocular vision and depth perception.
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. Various systems of conservation status are in use at international, multi-country, national and local levels, as well as for consumer use such as sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification. The two international systems are by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The redtail catfish, Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, is a pimelodid (long-whiskered) catfish. In Venezuela, it is known as cajaro, in Guyana, it is known as a banana catfish, and in Brazil, it is known as pirarara, stemming from the Tupi language words pirá and arara. It is the only extant species of the genus Phractocephalus. This fish is common in the aquarium trade, although its massive adult size makes it unsuitable for all but the largest aquariums. They feed on fish, crustaceans and fallen fruits.
The Caribbean roughshark is a rough shark of the family Oxynotidae, found on the upper continental slopes of the Caribbean Sea, at depths between 400 and 450 m. It reaches a length around 50 cm (20 in).
Cynoscion acoupa, the acoupa weakfish, blacktail basher or grey snapper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This fish is found in the western Atlantic.
Nannacara is a genus of small freshwater cichlid fish endemic to South America. The genus is part of the Cichlasomatini tribe of the Cichlasomatinae subfamily. In the aquarium hobby, the fish is considered a dwarf cichlid along with Apistogramma, Mikrogeophagus, and Dicrossus species. Nannacara anomala is the most commonly encountered species in the aquarium trade.
The slippery dick is a species of wrasse native to shallow, tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.
The Venezuelan grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in northern South America and the Greater Antilles.
The spectacled caiman, also known as the white caiman, common caiman, and speckled caiman, is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae. It is brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has a spectacle-like ridge between its eyes, which is where its common name come from. It grows to a length of 1.4–2.5 m and a weight of 7–40 kg (15–88 lb), with males being both longer and heavier than females. Its diet varies seasonally, commonly consisting of crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians and snails. Breeding occurs from May to August and 14–40 eggs are laid in July and August. This crocodilian has a large range and population; it is native to much of Latin America, and has been introduced to the United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.
Trachinotus goodei, the palometa, is an ocean-going game fish of the family Carangidae. Other common names include banner pompano, camade fish, cobbler, gafftopsail, great pompano, joefish, longfin pompano, old wife, sand mackerel, streamers jack, wireback. This fish is native to the western Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Bermuda to Argentina. It can be found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
The goldeneye cichlid is a species of cichlid found in fresh water from the Aruka River in Guyana, to the Maroni River in Suriname. It is often found on flooded savannas near the coast. The male grows to a length of about 5.6 centimetres (2.2 in) while the female is somewhat smaller, and is thus regarded as a dwarf cichlid.
Nannacara aureocephalus is a species of cichlid endemic to French Guiana in South America where it occurs in the Approuague River basin. Its habitat is shallow water near the edges of swamps, and areas of stagnant water in forest creeks. It is considered a dwarf cichlid and can be found in the aquarium trade. The male reaches a length of 6.7 centimetres (2.6 in) SL while the females reach a length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in) TL.
Nannacara bimaculata is a species of cichlid endemic to Guyana where it is found in the Potaro and Essequibo rivers. It grows to a length of 4.5 centimetres (1.8 in) SL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.
Nannacara taenia is a species of cichlid found near Belém in Brazil in South America. This species grows to a length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in) SL.
Emblemariopsis ramirezi is a species of chaenopsid blenny known from Venezuela, in the western central Atlantic ocean. The specific name honours Humberto Ramirez, who found this species and drew Cervigón's attention to it.
Paraclinus marmoratus, the Marbled blenny, is a species of labrisomid blenny native to the western Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea from southern Florida to Venezuela. This species can be found in shallow waters down to a depth of about 6 metres (20 ft) on coral reefs and in sea grass beds. It seems to show a particular association with the sponge Verongia fistularis. This species can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.
The mountain mullet is a freshwater fish of the family Mugilidae. It can be found in North and South America, from North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana and Texas in the United States to Colombia and Venezuela, including the West Indies in the Antilles. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Dajaus.
Rondonacara hoehnei is a species of cichlid fish of the subfamily Cichlinae. This species is endemic to the upper das Mortes River basin in the Araguaia drainage of central Brazil. This species is the only known member of its genus, but it was formerly included in Aequidens. Although not yet rated by the IUCN, it has been suggested that it is seriously threatened and should be considered critically endangered. The specific name honour the collector of the type specimen, the Brazilian botanist Frederico Carlos Hoehne (1882-1959).
