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Ichthyoelephas

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Ichthyoelephas
Ichthyoelephas longirostris
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Prochilodontidae
Genus: Ichthyoelephas
Posada, 1909[1]
Type species
Ichthyoelephas patalo, (a synonym of Ichthyoelephas longirostris)
Posada, 1909[1][2]

Ichthyoelephas is a genus of South American freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Prochilodontidae, the bocachicos or flannel-mouthed characiformes.[3]

There are two species in the genus: I. humeralis reaches a length of at least 40 cm (1.3 ft) and is found in the Santiago, Chimbo, and Guayas river basins in Ecuador,[4][5] and I. longirostris reaches a length of 80 cm (2.6 ft) and is found in the CaucaMagdalena river basin in Colombia,[6] and additionally reported from the Rio Ranchería.[5]

They feed on algae and detritus (aufwuchs) that are taken off rocks with their fleshy lips.[7][8] They are commercially important food fish.[7][8]

Species

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There are two species:[9]

References

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  1. 1 2 Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Prochilodontidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  2. Bailly N (ed.). "Ichthyoelephas patalo Posada, 1909". FishBase. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
  3. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Ichthyoelephas". FishBase. October 2017 version.
  4. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Ichthyoelephas humeralis". FishBase. October 2017 version.
  5. 1 2 Castro, Ricardo M. C.; Vari, Richard P. (2004). Detritivores of the South American fish family Prochilodontidae (Teleostei: Ostariophysi: Characiformes) : a phylogenetic and revisionary study. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books.
  6. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Ichthyoelephas longirostris". FishBase. October 2017 version.
  7. 1 2 Jimenez-Segura, L.; Alonso, J. C. & Mojica, J. (2016). "Ichthyoelephas longirostris". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. IUCN: e.T49830164A61473798. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T49830164A61473798.en. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  8. 1 2 Laaz, E.; W. Aguirre (19 August 2017). "Prochilodontidae - Ichthyoelephas humeralis". The Freshwater Fishes of Western Ecuador. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  9. Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Ichthyoelephas". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 3 August 2025.