Thoracocharax stellatus, the silver hatchetfish, spotfin hatchetfish, spotted hatchetfish or platinum hatchetfish, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the familyGasteropelecidae, the freshwater hatchet fishes.[2] This spceies is found throughout tropical and subtropical South America [3] in the Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay and Tocantins-Araguaia basins.[4] This species is one of the largest of the hatchetfishes. It is usually found in areas with abundant riparian vegetation.[3]
The genus Thoracocharax is monophyletic and is sister to Carnegiella and Gasteropelecus. Thoracocharax stellatus has four distinct lineages suggesting this species may represent a species complex.[7] The four lineages are found in the following rivers:
Thoracocharax stellatus is the type species of the genus Thoracocharax, this name is derived from the Greek θώραξ (thṓraks), meaning "chest" or "breast" coupled with the word Charax, type genus of the Order Characiformes, which comes from the Ancient Greek χάραξ (chárax), meaning a palisade of pointed sticks, in reference to the densely packed sharp teeth of the fish. The species epithet, stellatus, is Latin for starry or studded with stars, a reference to the fish's platinum-coloured shiny appearance.[3][8]
Description
Thoracocharax stellatus is superficially similar to Thoracocharax securis, but has a prominent dark spot in the dorsal-fin. In the wild, adults vary in length between 21–55mm,[9] but in captivity, can grow up to between 60–70mm,[3] maximum length is 80mm.
Distributuion and habitat
Thoracocharax stellatus is found in subtropical and tropical South America where it is found in the Amazon, Orinoco, Parana and Paraguay river systems. It has been found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. It is a pelagic fish which occurs in open waters in larger rivers.[1]
Diet
In the wild, feeding occurs at sunrise and sunset, and analysis of the stomach contents of 88 specimens indicates that this species is mostly insectivorous (99.6% of stomach contents were insects) and consisted mostly of ants, beetles, and mayflies.[10]Thoracocharax stellatus appears to be a specialist on terrestrial insects and feeds by leaping out of the water and taking insects from riparian vegetation.[10]
Utilisation
Thoracocharax stellatus is part of the aquarium trade and has been bred in captivity.[11]
↑ Weitzman, S.H. "Further notes on the relationships and classification of the South American Characid fishes of the subfamily Gasteropelecinae". Standford Ichthyological Bulletin. 7: 217–239.
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