Microsternarchus Explained

Microsternarchus is a genus of bluntnose knifefish that is found in creeks and streams, often in areas with submerged vegetation, roots and leaf litter, in the Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo–Rupununi and Río de la Plata basins in South America.^[1] The two recognized species are both small knifefish, with the largest being M. bilineatus at up to 12cm (05inches) in total length. The other is M. brevis, which at up to only 5.3cm (02.1inches) is the world's smallest knifefish.^[2] Microsternarchus are very similar to Brachyhypopomus.^[3]

Species

There are currently 2 recognized species in this genus:

• Microsternarchus bilineatus Fernández-Yépez, 1968 (Brazil, Venezuela)
• Microsternarchus brevis Cox Fernandes, A. Nogueira, A. D. Williston & Alves-Gomes, 2015^[1] (Brazil)

Notes and References

1. Cox Fernandes, C., Nogueira, A., Williston, A. & Alves-Gomes, J.A. (2015): A new species of electric knifefish from the rio Negro, Amazon basin (Gymnotiformes: Hypopomidae, Microsternarchini). Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 164 (1): 213-227.
2. Book: van der Sleen, P. . J.S. Albert . 2017 . Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas . Princeton University Press . 334 . 978-0691170749 .
3. Crampton, W.G.R. . C.D. de Santana . J.C. Waddell . N.R. Lovejoy . 2016 . A Taxonomic Revision of the Neotropical Electric Fish Genus Brachyhypopomus (Ostariophysi: Gymnotiformes: Hypopomidae), with Descriptions of 15 New Species . Neotropical Ichthyology . 14 . 4 . 10.1590/1982-0224-20150146 . free .