// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Sternopygus say? "I'm shocked
| Sternopygus | |
|---|---|
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| Sternopygus aequilabiatus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gymnotiformes |
| Family: | Sternopygidae |
| Subfamily: | Sternopyginae Cope, 1871 |
| Genus: | Sternopygus J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1846[1] |
| Type species | |
| Gymnotus aequilabiatus | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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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 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 twelve recognized species in this genus.[4][6][7]
- 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 embera Torgersen, Galindo-Cuervo, Ortega-Lara, Lujan, Reis & Albert, 2026
- Sternopygus macrurus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) (Longtail knifefish)
- Sternopygus obtusirostris Steindachner, 1881
- Sternopygus pejeraton Schultz, 1949
- Sternopygus sabaji Torgersen & Albert, 2022[8]
- Sternopygus sarae Torgersen, Galindo-Cuervo, Reis & Albert, 2023
- Sternopygus xingu Albert & Fink, 1996
References
[edit]
- 1 2 3 4 Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Sternopygidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ↑ 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 – via ResearchGate.
- 1 2 3 4 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.
- 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Sternopygus". FishBase. December 2017 version.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Sternopygus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ↑ Kevin T. Torgersen; 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.
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