Roboides | |
---|---|
Roeboides margareteae | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Characiformes |
Family: | Characidae |
Subfamily: | Characinae |
Genus: | Roeboides Günther, 1864 |
Type species | |
Epicyrtus microlepis J. T. Reinhardt, 1851 |
Roeboides is a genus of characins from Central and South America. These fish, among other characteristics, are small, are typically translucent, and have a rhomboid shape.
The 21 currently recognized species in this genus are: [1] [2]
Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.
Characidae, the characids or characins is a family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish, belonging to the order Characiformes. The name "characins" is the historical one, but scientists today tend to prefer "characids" to reflect their status as a by and large monophyletic group at family rank. To arrive there, this family has undergone much systematic and taxonomic change. Among those fishes that remain in the Characidae for the time being 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 and also include popular aquarium fish species.
Cichlasoma is a genus of freshwater fish in the cichlid family. The genus was previously very large, including cichlids from North America, including Central America, and South America.
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.
Charax is a genus containing several species of South American tetras, including the glass headstander, C. gibbosus. These fish, among other characteristics, are small and have a rhomboid shape. Some species are semi-translucent.
Vieja is a genus of cichlid fish from Central America and Mexico. The majority of the species are freshwater fish found in stagnant or slow-moving waters of southern Mexico to El Salvador, but V. maculicauda, which also occurs in brackish waters, ranges south to Panama. They are high-bodied cichlids that reach lengths of up to 17–35 cm (7–14 in) depending on the exact species. Vieja feed mostly on vegetable matter, but may also take small invertebrates.
Brycon is a genus of fish in the family Characidae found in freshwater habitats in Central and South America, ranging from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. Despite not being closely related to true trout, they are sometimes called South American trout. Members of the genus may be referred to by a number of other different common names in various languages. They reach a maximum length of 11.9–79.5 cm (4.7–31.3 in) depending on the species involved. Some species perform seasonal breeding migrations.
The Cichlasomatinae are a subfamily of cichlid fishes, including all cichlids native to the Greater Antilles, United States, Mexico and Central America, and many of the cichlids from South America. The subfamily Cichlasomatinae is often divided into two tribes: Cichlasomatini and Heroini, however some authorities classify these two tribes as part of the wider Neotropical and marginally Nearctic subfamily Cichlinae.
Amatitlania is a genus of cichlid fishes native to freshwater habitats in Central America from El Salvador and Guatemala to Panama. They are fairly small cichlids, typically reaching up to 6.4–10 cm (2.5–4 in) in standard length depending on exact species, although captives may grow larger.
Heroini is a fish tribe from the Cichlasomatinae subfamily in the cichlid family. All cichlids native to the Greater Antilles, United States, Mexico and northern Central America are members of this tribe. It also includes most cichlid species in southern Central America and several species from South America. A large percentage of its species were formerly placed in the genus Cichlasoma but have since been moved to other genera.
Moenkhausia is a genus of freshwater fish in the family Characidae native to tropical and subtropical South America. These are medium-sized tetras where the largest species only reach around 12 cm (4.7 in).
Profundulus is a genus of fish in the family Profundulidae endemic to Mexico and northern Central America. It was regarded as the only genus in the Profundulidae but workers have split the genus and raised a second genus Tlaloc.
Deuterodon is a genus of characins from river basins in southern and southeastern Brazil, with a single species of uncertain taxonomic status, D. potaroensis, from Guyana. These are small fish that reach up to 12.6 cm (5.0 in) in total length. They are omnivores with a specialized mouth structure that allows them to scrape algae and debris off bedrock.
Hemibrycon is a genus of characins. They are mainly found in South America, Trinidad in the Caribbean), and H. dariensis of east Panama.
Oligosarcus is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil. They reach up to 31 cm (12 in) in length and are predators that mainly feed on smaller fish.
Piabina is a genus of characins from tropical South America.
Roestes is a genus of dogtooth characins from tropical South America, where found in the Amazon Basin and various rivers in the Guianas. There are three described species in this genus.
William Albert Bussing, known as Don William, was an American ichthyologist who spent most of his career on the faculty of the Universidad de Costa Rica, working there from 1966 to 1991. He was appointed professor in 1978 and when he retired he became emeritus professor.
The orangefin tetra is a small species of freshwater fish from South America that belongs to the family Iguanodectidae. Though common in its native range, it seems to prefer fast-flowing and shallow creeks. It is an active swimmer that feeds on plant material and various invertebrates, sometimes jumping out of the water to catch prey above the surface.