Priocharax pygmaeus

Priocharax pygmaeus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Acestrorhamphidae
Genus: Priocharax
Species:
P. pygmaeus
Binomial name
Priocharax pygmaeus

Priocharax pygmaeus is a minute species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acestrorhamphidae, the American characins.[2] This fish is found in the Upper Amazon River basin in Colombia. It has also been recorded from the Río Ucayali basin in Peru.[3] The species, which has a skeleton of cartilage, is almost completely transparent.[4]

Size

This species reaches a length of 1.7 cm (0.67 in).[5]

Etymology

The fish's name is Latin for "dwarfish".[6]

Biology

Priocharax pygmaeus inhabits rainforest streams that are shaded or partially shaded. The bottom of the streams are clay with a lot of leaf litter, and submerged plants are not present.[5]

References

  1. ^ Lima, F.; Correa, E. & Chuctaya, J. (2023). "Priocharax pygmaeus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023 e.T49829973A160292587. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T49829973A160292587.en. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  2. ^ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Priocharax". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  3. ^ Toledo-Piza, M., G.M.T. Mattox and R. Britz, 2014. Priocharax nanus, a new miniature characid from the rio Negro, Amazon basin (Ostariophysi: Characiformes), with an updated list of miniature Neotropical freshwater fishes. Neotrop. Ichthyol. 12(2):229-246.
  4. ^ Weitzman, S.H. and R.P. Vari, 1987. Two new species and a new genus of miniature characid fishes (Teleostei: Characiformes) from northern South America. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 100(3):640-652.
  5. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Priocharax pygmaeus". FishBase. February 2015 version.
  6. ^ Christopher Scharpf (3 October 2025). "Family ACESTRORHAMPHIDAE Eigenmann 1907 (American Tetras)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Retrieved 27 October 2025.