Jump to content

Sternopygus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Sternopyginae)

Sternopygus
Sternopygus aequilabiatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gymnotiformes
Family: Sternopygidae
Subfamily: Sternopyginae
Cope, 1871
Genus: Sternopygus
J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1849[1]
Type species
Gymnotus aequilabiatus
Synonyms[1]

Sternopygus is a genus of glass knifefishes found in tropical and subtropical South America (south to the Río de la Plata Basin), and Panama. It is the only extant extant member of the subfamily Sternopyginae, with the related fossil genus Humboldtichthys also known from Bolivia.[1][2]

They inhabit a wide range of freshwater habitats, from fast-flowing rivers to essentially static waters in floodplains, and shallow habitats to the bottom of deep rivers. S. macrurus will even visit brackish mangroves to feed.[3]

They are medium to large knifefish, with a maximum total length of 23–140 cm (0.8–4.6 ft) depending on the exact species.[3][4] They feed on invertebrates, small fish and fruits.[3] Most members of Gymnotiformes are nocturnal, but Sternopygus are both nocturnal[3] and diurnal.[5]

Species

[edit]

There are currently eleven recognized species in this genus.[4][6][7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Sternopygidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  2. ^ Albert, J.S.; Fink, W.L. (2007). "Phylogenetic relationships of fossil Neotropical electric fishes (Osteichthyes: Gymnotiformes) from the Upper Miocene of Bolivia". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (1): 17–25. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[17:PROFNE]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 35007130.
  3. ^ a b c d van der Sleen, P.; J.S. Albert, eds. (2017). Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas. Princeton University Press. pp. 344–345. ISBN 978-0691170749.
  4. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Sternopygus". FishBase. December 2017 version.
  5. ^ Galvis; Mojica; Duque; Castellanos; Sánchez-Duarte; Arce; Gutiérrez; Jiménez; Santos; Vejarano; Arbeláez; Prieto; Leiva (2006). Peces del medio Amazonas, Región de Leticia (in Spanish). Conservación Internacional. p. 358. doi:10.1590/S1679-62252006000400011. ISBN 978-958-97690-6-5.
  6. ^ Torgersen, Kevin T.; Albert, James S. (November 2022). "A New Species of Sternopygus (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae) from the Atlantic Coast of the Guiana Shield". Ichthyology & Herpetology. 110 (4): 714–727. doi:10.1643/i2022013. ISSN 2766-1512.
  7. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Sternopygus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  8. ^ Kevin T. Torgersen and James S. Albert. 2022. A New Species of Sternopygus (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae) from the Atlantic Coast of the Guiana Shield. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 110(4), 714-727. DOI: 10.1643/i2022013