Brachyhypopomus Explained
Brachyhypopomus is a genus of fish in the family Hypopomidae (bluntnose knifefish) native primarily to tropical and subtropical South America (south to the Río de la Plata Basin), although a single species, B. occidentalis, also occurs in Panama and Costa Rica.[1] They are found in a wide range of static or slow-flowing freshwater habitats such as edges of rivers, streams, floodplains and swamps, but they are absent from deep river channels (a habitat of many other knifefish).[1] There are both species in well-oxygenated waters and poorly oxygenated waters; those in the latter have adaptions that allow them to survive this like larger gills or the capability of gulping up mouthfuls of air from the water surface.[1] [2] Brachyhypopomus feed during the night on small invertebrates.[1]
They are small to medium sized knifefish, reaching up to 12- in total length depending on the species involved.[1] Overall the various species are similar in general shape, but they do differ in morphometrics and meristics. They vary in general color and pattern, but are well-camouflaged and typically brownish. During the night they change color and become very pale, even species that are dark-colored during the day. Brachyhypopomus are very similar to Microsternarchus and Procerusternarchus.[1]
Species
There are currently 28 recognized species in this genus:
- Brachyhypopomus alberti Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus arrayae Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus batesi Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus beebei (L. P. Schultz, 1944)
- Brachyhypopomus belindae Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus benjamini Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus bennetti Sullivan, Zuanon & Cox-Fernandes, 2013[3]
- Brachyhypopomus bombilla Loureiro & A. C. Silva, 2006
- Brachyhypopomus brevirostris (Steindachner, 1868)
- Brachyhypopomus bullocki Sullivan & Hopkins, 2009
- Brachyhypopomus cunia Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus diazae (Fernández-Yépez, 1972)
- Brachyhypopomus draco Giora, L. R. Malabarba & Crampton, 2008
- Brachyhypopomus flavipomus Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus gauderio (formerly Brachyhypopomus pinnicaudatus) Giora & L. R. Malabarba, 2009
- Brachyhypopomus hamiltoni Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus hendersoni Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus janeiroensis (W. J. E. M. Costa & Campos-da-Paz, 1992)
- Brachyhypopomus jureiae Triques & Khamis, 2003
- Brachyhypopomus menezesi Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus occidentalis (Regan, 1914)
- Brachyhypopomus palenque Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus provenzanoi Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus regani Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus sullivani Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016 [1]
- Brachyhypopomus verdii Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy, 2016[1]
- Brachyhypopomus walteri Sullivan, Zuanon & Cox-Fernandes, 2013[3]
Notes and References
- Crampton, W.G.R., de Santana, C.D., Waddell, J.C. & Lovejoy, N.R. (2016): Clifford,W,J A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical electric fish genus Brachyhypopomus (Ostariophysi: Gymnotiformes: Hypopomidae), with descriptions of 15 new species. Neotropical Ichthyology, 14 (4): e150146.
- Carvalho, L.N. . L. Fidelis . R. Arruda . A. Galuch . K. Zuanon . 2013 . Second floor, please: the fish fauna of floating litter banks in Amazonian streams and rivers . Neotrop. Ichthyol. . 11 . 1 . 78–91 . 10.1590/S1679-62252013000100010 . free .
- Sullivan, J.P., Zuanon, J. & Cox Fernandes, C. (2013): Two new species and a new subgenus of toothed Brachyhypopomus electric knifefishes (Gymnotiformes, Hypopomidae) from the central Amazon and considerations pertaining to the evolution of a monophasic electric organ discharge. ZooKeys, 327: 1–34.
