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Acestrorhynchus

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Acestrorhynchus
Acestrorhynchus heterolepis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Acestrorhynchidae
Subfamily: Acestrorhynchinae
C. H. Eigenmann, 1912[2]
Genus: Acestrorhynchus
C. H. Eigenmann & C. H. Kennedy, 1903[1]
Type species
Salmo falcatus
Bloch, 1794[1]
Species

See text

Synonyms[1]

Acestrorhynchus ("needle jaw" ) is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Acestrorhynchidae. The fishes in this genus are found South America. It is the sole genus in the subfamily Acestrorhynchinae. Their greatest diversity is in the Orinoco and Amazon basins.

These fish have elongated pike-like bodies and large conical teeth, adapted for predation on other types of fish. They are sometimes referred to as freshwater barracudas in the aquarium trade, although the name is used of other characins as well. They range from 35 to 400 mm (1.5 in to 1 ft 3.5 in) in length.

Until recently, they were considered the only genus in the family Acestrorhynchidae, but phylogenetic studies have recovered several smaller characins previously placed elsewhere in the family (known as "biting tetras") as closely related to them.[3]

Common names are cachorinho, cachorro, mopiye, payala, pejezorro, pez cachorro, pez zorro, pike characin, moinge, halatawéi, halataway, dagu fisi, ueua, wayabra, zadoe, freshwater barracuda, saicanga, branca, cajaba, cachorra magra, cadelinha and dentudo.

Species

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There are currently 14 valid species:[4][5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Acestrorhynchidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  2. ^ Richard van der Laan; William N. Eschmeyer & Ronald Fricke (2014). "Family-group names of recent fishes". Zootaxa. 3882 (2): 1–230. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1. PMID 25543675.
  3. ^ Fricke, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Van der Laan, R. (2025). "ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  4. ^ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Acestrorhynchus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  5. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Acestrorhynchus". FishBase. July 2024 version.