Phycocharax

Phycocharax
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Acestrorhamphidae
Subfamily: Hyphessobryconinae
Genus: Phycocharax
Ohara, Mirande & F. C. T. Lima, 2017[1]
Species:
P. rasbora
Binomial name
Phycocharax rasbora
Ohara, Mirande & F. C. T. Lima, 2017[1]

Phycocharax is a monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acestrorhamphidae, the American characins.[2] The only species in the genus is Phycocharax rasbora.[3][1] This fish is endemic to the Brazilian Amazon, where it is only known from the upper Braço Norte River (Serra do Cachimbo region), a blackwater tributary in the Teles Pires basin, itself a part of the Tapajós basin.[1] A dam has been built on the Braço Norte River and while the species is uncommon downstream, it is very abundant in the reservoir above.[1]

Its species name refers to the similarity in color and pattern to Trigonostigma rasboras, an unrelated but well-known Asian fish.[1] The mainly reddish males reach up to about 3.4 cm (1.3 in) in standard length, while the duller yellowish females reach up to about 3.1 cm (1.2 in).[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Ohara, W.M.; Mirande, J.M.; Lima, F.C.T.d. (2017). "Phycocharax rasbora, a new genus and species of Brazilian tetra (Characiformes: Characidae) from Serra do Cachimbo, rio Tapajós basin". PLOS ONE. 12 (2) e0170648. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1270648O. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0170648. PMC 5310855. PMID 28199336.
  2. ^ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Hyphessobryconinae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  3. ^ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Phycocharax". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 October 2025.