The Prochilodontidae, or flannel-mouthed characins, are a small family of freshwater fishes found primarily in the northern half of
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
, south to
Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
and northern
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. This family is closely related to the
Curimatidae, and in the past they were included in
Characidae
Characidae, the characids, is a family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish belonging to the order Characiformes. They are found throughout much of Central and South America, including such major waterways as the Amazon and Orinoco Riv ...
.
These fish have fleshy lips with rows of small teeth; their lips are able to be extended into a sucking disc. The largest species reach up to in length, and live in huge schools, making them a popular food fish. They travel upriver to spawn, and make audible grunting noises that have been described as resembling the sound of a motorbike.
Species
The family has around 21 species in three genera:
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Ichthyoelephas
''Ichthyoelephas'' is a genus of South American freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae.
There are two species in the genus: ''I. humeralis'' reaches a length of at least and is found in the Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known a ...
''
Posada, 1909
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Ichthyoelephas humeralis
''Ichthyoelephas'' is a genus of South American freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae.
There are two species in the genus: ''I. humeralis'' reaches a length of at least and is found in the Santiago River (Ecuador), Santiago and Guaya ...
''
** ''
Ichthyoelephas longirostris
''Ichthyoelephas'' is a genus of South American freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae.
There are two species in the genus: ''I. humeralis'' reaches a length of at least and is found in the Santiago and Guayas river basins in Ecuador ...
''
*''
Prochilodus''
Agassiz
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz ( ; ) FRS (For) FRSE (May 28, 1807 – December 14, 1873) was a Swiss-born American biologist and geologist who is recognized as a scholar of Earth's natural history.
Spending his early life in Switzerland, he recei ...
in Spix & Agassiz, 1829
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Prochilodus argenteus''
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Prochilodus brevis'' - Brazilian bocachico
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Prochilodus britskii
''Prochilodus'' is a genus of freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae. This family include two other genera, ''Ichthyoelephas'' and '' Semaprochilodus'', which have been included in ''Prochilodus'' instead. The greatest species richness ...
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Prochilodus costatus
''Prochilodus'' is a genus of freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae. This family include two other genera, ''Ichthyoelephas'' and '' Semaprochilodus'', which have been included in ''Prochilodus'' instead. The greatest species richness ...
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Prochilodus hartii
''Prochilodus'' is a genus of freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae. This family include two other genera, ''Ichthyoelephas'' and '' Semaprochilodus'', which have been included in ''Prochilodus'' instead. The greatest species richness ...
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Prochilodus lacustris
''Prochilodus'' is a genus of freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae. This family include two other genera, ''Ichthyoelephas'' and '' Semaprochilodus'', which have been included in ''Prochilodus'' instead. The greatest species richness ...
''
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Prochilodus lineatus
''Prochilodus lineatus'', the streaked prochilod, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Prochilodontidae. It is native to the Paraná River, Paraná—Paraguay River, Paraguay and Paraíba do Sul River, Paraíba do Sul river basins in So ...
'' - streaked prochilod
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Prochilodus magdalenae
''Prochilodus magdalenae'' is a tropical prochilodontid freshwater fish from Colombia. It is found in the Atrato, Sinú, Cauca and Magdalena Rivers. It has been measured to reach in standard length and in weight. They have a growing role in ...
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Prochilodus mariae
''Prochilodus'' is a genus of freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae. This family include two other genera, ''Ichthyoelephas'' and '' Semaprochilodus'', which have been included in ''Prochilodus'' instead. The greatest species richness ...
''
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Prochilodus nigricans
''Prochilodus nigricans'', or black prochilodus, is a species of prochilodontid fish from the Amazon Basin in South America. It supports major fisheries; according to IBAMA, it is the third most caught taxon in the Brazilian Amazon by weight, a ...
'' - black prochilodus
** ''
Prochilodus reticulatus
''Prochilodus'' is a genus of freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae. This family include two other genera, ''Ichthyoelephas'' and ''Semaprochilodus'', which have been included in ''Prochilodus'' instead. The greatest species richness o ...
'' - Colombian bocachico
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Prochilodus rubrotaeniatus
''Prochilodus'' is a genus of freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae. This family include two other genera, ''Ichthyoelephas'' and '' Semaprochilodus'', which have been included in ''Prochilodus'' instead. The greatest species richness ...
''
** ''
Prochilodus vimboides
''Prochilodus'' is a genus of freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae. This family include two other genera, ''Ichthyoelephas'' and '' Semaprochilodus'', which have been included in ''Prochilodus'' instead. The greatest species richness ...
''
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Semaprochilodus''
Fowler, 1941
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Semaprochilodus brama
''Semaprochilodus'' is a genus of South American freshwater fish in the family Prochilodontidae. They have sometimes been included in the genus '' Prochilodus'' instead. Of the six species, three are from the Amazon Basin, two from the Orinoco B ...
''
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Semaprochilodus insignis
The kissing prochilodus or flag-tailed prochilodus (''Semaprochilodus insignis'') is a species of South American freshwater fish in the family Prochilodontidae. It is native to central and western parts of the Amazon basin. It is migratory, movi ...
''
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Semaprochilodus kneri
''Semaprochilodus'' is a genus of South American freshwater fish in the family Prochilodontidae. They have sometimes been included in the genus '' Prochilodus'' instead. Of the six species, three are from the Amazon Basin, two from the Orinoco B ...
''
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Semaprochilodus laticeps
''Semaprochilodus'' is a genus of South American freshwater fish in the family Prochilodontidae. They have sometimes been included in the genus '' Prochilodus'' instead. Of the six species, three are from the Amazon Basin, two from the Orinoco B ...
''
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Semaprochilodus taeniurus
''Semaprochilodus'' is a genus of South American freshwater fish in the family Prochilodontidae. They have sometimes been included in the genus '' Prochilodus'' instead. Of the six species, three are from the Amazon Basin, two from the Orinoco B ...
'' - silver prochilodus
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Semaprochilodus varii''
References
Characiformes families
{{Characiformes-stub