''Triportheus'' is a genus of characiform fishes from South America, including Trinidad, ranging from the Rio de la Plata basin to the basins of the Orinoco and Magdalena River, Magdalena. Some are Fish migration, migratory. It is the only genus in the subfamily Triportheinae. The largest species is up to in standard length, but most reach up to about of that size or less. They somewhat resemble larger, more elongated freshwater hatchetfish, hatchetfish, including a keeled chest and large pectoral fins. This leads to the common names narrow hatchetfish and elongate hatchetfish, the latter also used more specifically for ''T. elongatus''. Their shape is an adaption for living near the water surface where they find most of their food such as fruits, seeds, leaves, flowers, other plant material, invertebrates (insects, spiders and alike) and occasionally small fish. Seeds eaten by ''Triportheus'' are sometimes crushed, but may also pass undamaged through the fish, making them potential seed dispersers.

Species

There are currently 18 recognized species in this genus: * ''Triportheus albus'' Edward Drinker Cope, Cope, 1872 * ''Triportheus angulatus'' (Johann Baptist von Spix, Spix & Louis Agassiz, Agassiz, 1829) * ''Triportheus auritus'' (Achille Valenciennes, Valenciennes, 1850) * ''Triportheus brachipomus'' (Achille Valenciennes, Valenciennes, 1850) * ''Triportheus claudiae'' Lopes & Carvalho, 2024 * ''Triportheus culter'' (Edward Drinker Cope, Cope, 1872) * ''Triportheus curtus'' (Samuel Garman, Garman, 1890) * ''Triportheus elongatus'' (Albert Günther, Günther, 1864) (Elongate hatchetfish) * ''Triportheus guentheri'' (Samuel Garman, Garman, 1890) * ''Triportheus magdalenae'' (Franz Steindachner, Steindachner, 1878) * ''Triportheus nematurus'' (Rudolf Kner, Kner, 1858) * ''Triportheus orinocensis'' Maria Claudia de Souza Lima Malabarba, M. C. S. L. Malabarba, 2004 * ''Triportheus pantanensis'' Maria Claudia de Souza Lima Malabarba, M. C. S. L. Malabarba, 2004 * ''Triportheus paranensis'' (Albert Günther, Günther, 1874) (Tetra) * ''Triportheus pictus'' (Samuel Garman, Garman, 1890) * ''Triportheus rotundatus'' (Sir William Jardine, 7th Baronet, Jardine, 1841) * ''Triportheus signatus'' (Samuel Garman, Garman, 1890) * ''Triportheus trifurcatus'' (Francis de Laporte de Castelnau, Castelnau, 1855) * ''Triportheus venezuelensis'' Maria Claudia de Souza Lima Malabarba, M. C. S. L. Malabarba, 2004

References

Triportheidae Characiformes genera Taxa named by Edward Drinker Cope {{Characiformes-stub