Hemiodontidae
Hemiodontidae | |
---|---|
Hemiodus gracilis | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Characiformes |
Suborder: | Characoidei |
Superfamily: | Hemiodontoidea |
Family: | Hemiodontidae |
The Hemidontidae are a small family of freshwater characins found in northern South America, south to the Paraná-Paraguay Basin. The larger species are popular food fish.[1]
Hemiodontids have a streamlined body shape; many are fast-swimming, and are able to leap out of the water to escape predators. The adults of all species except Micromischodus sugillatus have no teeth on their lower jaws. Most species have a round spot on the side of the midbody and a stripe along the lower lobe of the caudal fin. The largest hemiodontids are around 50 centimetres (20 in) in length.[1]
Genera
The family has around 29 known species,[2] as well as several undescribed species, in five genera:
References
- Nelson, Joseph S. (2006). Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-25031-7
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