Petrocephalus | |
---|---|
Two species of Petrocephalus (above) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Osteoglossiformes |
Family: | Mormyridae |
Subfamily: | Petrocephalinae |
Genus: | Petrocephalus Marcusen, 1854 |
Type species | |
Mormyrus bane Lacépède, 1803 |
Petrocephalus is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Mormyridae. All the fish species of this genus are endemic to Africa. [1]
There are currently 46 recognized species in this genus: [2]
The Mormyridae, sometimes called "elephantfish", are a superfamily of weakly electric fish in the order Osteoglossiformes native to Africa. It is by far the largest family in the order, with around 200 species. Members of the family can be popular, if challenging, aquarium species. These fish have a large brain size and unusually high intelligence.
Mastacembelus is a genus of many species of spiny eel fish from the family Mastacembelidae. They are native to Africa and Asia. Most are found in rivers and associated systems, but there are also species in other freshwater habitats and a particularly rich radiation is found in the Lake Tanganyika basin with 15 species. A few species can even occur in brackish water.
Hippopotamyrus is a genus of elephantfish in the family Mormyridae.
Marcusenius is a genus of the elephantfish group native to Africa. Its members are highly diverse in size, with the smallest species reaching less than 15 cm (6 in) and the largest more than 1 m (3.3 ft).
Pollimyrus is a genus of elephantfishes native to Africa.
Doumea is a genus of loach catfishes native to Africa.
The Cornish jack, Mormyrops anguilloides, is a species of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae, native to quiet waters in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. The largest species in its family, the Cornish jack is a nocturnal group hunter of smaller fishes, using electricity to locate its prey and communicate with other members of its group. It is a commercial game fish valued for its size and taste.
Mormyrops is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the largest member of the mormyrid family, the cornish jack at up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in length.
The subfamily Mormyrinae contains all but one of the genera of the African freshwater fish family Mormyridae in the order Osteoglossiformes. They are often called elephantfish due to a long protrusion below their mouths used to detect buried invertebrates that is suggestive of a tusk or trunk. They can also be called tapirfish.
Campylomormyrus is a genus of elephantfish in the family Mormyridae.
Steindachner's Angolan mormyrid is a species of elephantfish in the family Mormyridae being the only member of its genus. It is found only in the coastal river basins in Angola in Africa. It reaches a length of about 10 cm (4 in).
Myomyrus is a genus of elephantfish in the family Mormyridae. Its members reach about 25–30 cm (10–12 in) in length and are restricted to the Congo River Basin in Africa.
Oxymormyrus is a small genus of elephantfish in the family Mormyridae. Its members reach about 25–27 cm (10–11 in) in length and are restricted to the Congo, Campo, Kouilou-Niari, Nyanga and Ogowe river basins in Middle Africa.
Paramormyrops is a genus of elephantfish in the family Mormyridae from Africa.
Stomatorhinus is a genus of small elephantfish in the family Mormyridae.
Petrocephalus boboto is a species of electric fish in the genus Petrocephalus. It is so far only known from the holotype collected from Congo River at Yangambi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The specific name boboto is Lingala word for "peace".
Petrocephalus arnegardi is a species of electric fish in the genus Petrocephalus native to the Central Congo River basin. It is found in middle Congo River and in the Likouala River drainage, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo. It is named after Matthew Arnegard, an expert on elephantfishes.
Cryptomyrus is a genus of mormyrid fish native to Gabon.
The Mormyroidea are a superfamily of fresh water fishes endemic to Africa that, together with the families Hiodontidae, Osteoglossidae, Pantodontidae and Notopteridae, represents one of the main groups of living Osteoglossiformes. They stand out for their use of weak electric fields, which they use to orient themselves, reproduce, feed, and communicate.
Pollimyrus isidori is a species of electric fish in the family Mormyridae, found in the rivers of Gambia, Bénoué, Senegal, Niger, Volta, Chad, Nile and the coastal banks of several rivers in the Ivory Coast; it can reach a size of approximately 90 mm.