''Hoplias malabaricus'', also known as the wolf fish, tiger fish, guabine or trahira, is a predatory Central and South American freshwater ray-finned fish of the characiform family Erythrinidae.

Description

The maximum known length for this species is about and the maximum known weight is about . Like other members of the genus '' Hoplias'' this species has a cylindrical body shape with a large mouth equipped with prominent teeth. The dog-like teeth have given it some of its common names. Coloration is highly variable but is usually grey-brown with darker vertical stripes or a single horizontal stripe.

Distribution

Southern Central America to Argentina. Found in most river systems and in the following countries; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador,

French Guiana French Guiana, or Guyane in French, is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France located on the northern coast of South America in the Guianas and the West Indies. Bordered by Suriname to the west ...

, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname,

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Biology

They occur in a wide range of freshwater habitats from clear, fast flowing, upland streams, to slow, turbid lowland waters, canals, and irrigation and drainage ditches, to shallow, stagnant, and hypoxic lakes and ponds. They are adapted to spending the daylight hours resting in vegetation and are most active during the night. Adults are ambush predators of fish (such as guppies), crustaceans (such as shrimp and crayfish) and mussels; while juveniles prey consists of crustacean and other invertebrate prey. This species spawns in pits located in shallow water and the males guard the nests even after the eggs have hatched.

Invasive species

''Hoplias malabaricus'' are popular in the aquarium trade but are prohibited from being kept in California as a potentially invasive species. ''H. malabaricus'' was formerly established in Hillsborough County, Florida from either deliberate releases or fish farm escapes. Since January 1977 no specimens have been collected or reported; presumably the species was

extirpated Local extinction, also extirpation, is the termination of a species (or other taxon) in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinctions. Local extinctions mark a chan ...

as result of extremely cold temperatures during that month.

Gallery

File:Hoplias malabaricus.jpg File:Hoplias malabaricus1.jpg File:Hoplias malabaricus 172871750.jpeg

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2719610 Fish of South America Erythrinidae Taxa named by Marcus Elieser Bloch Fish described in 1794