Sternopygus Explained

Sternopygus is a genus of glass knifefishes found in tropical and subtropical South America (south to the Río de la Plata Basin), and Panama. 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 mangrove to feed.^[1]

They are medium to large knifefish, with a maximum total length of NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on depending on the exact species.^[1] They feed on invertebrates, small fish and fruits.^[1] Most members of Gymnotiformes are nocturnal, but Sternopygus are both nocturnal^[1] and diurnal.^[2]

Species

There are currently eleven recognized species in this genus.^{[3] [4]}

• Sternopygus aequilabiatus (Humboldt, 1805)
• Sternopygus arenatus (Eydoux & Souleyet, 1850)
• Sternopygus astrabes Mago-Leccia, 1994
• Sternopygus branco Crampton, Hulen & Albert, 2004
• Sternopygus dariensis Meek & Hildebrand 1916
• Sternopygus macrurus (Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801) (Longtail knifefish)
• Sternopygus obtusirostris Steindachner, 1881
• Sternopygus pejeraton L. P. Schultz, 1949
• Sternopygus sabaji Torgersen & Albert, 2022
• Sternopygus sarae Torgersen, Galindo-Cuervo, Reis & Albert, 2023
• Sternopygus xingu Albert & W. L. Fink, 1996

Notes and References

1. Book: van der Sleen, P. . J.S. Albert . 2017 . Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas . Princeton University Press . 344–345 . 978-0691170749 .
2. Book: Galvis . Mojica . Duque . Castellanos . Sánchez-Duarte . Arce . Gutiérrez . Jiménez . Santos . Vejarano . Arbeláez . Prieto . Leiva . 2006 . Peces del medio Amazonas, Región de Leticia . Conservación Internacional . 358 . 978-958-97690-6-5 . 10.1590/S1679-62252006000400011 . Spanish .
3. 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 . 10.1643/i2022013 . 2766-1512.
4. Web site: Eschmeyer, W.N. . R. Fricke . R. van der Laan . 8 May 2018 . Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . 8 May 2018 .