Megaleporinus elongatus (Valenciennes, 1850)
photo by Equipe de Ictiologia do Nupélia

Family:  Anostomidae (Headstanders)
Max. size:  50 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater, potamodromous
Distribution:  South America: Known only from the Rio Jequitinhonha and Rio Pardo in Brazil. Record from São Francisco River, the type locality in the original description, seems to be erroneous (Ref. 93038). Reported from Paraná and La Plata basins (Ref. 36801).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal soft rays: 10-11; Vertebrae: 34-34. Distinguished from all species of Leporinus , exceptL. amblyrhynchus , by having the combination of three teeth on each premaxilla and dentary (tooth formula 3/3) and 12 scale rows around the caudal peduncle (vs. tooth formulae 4/4, 3/4 or 4/3, and 14 or 16 scale rows around the caudal peduncle). Can be diagnosed from Leporinus amblyrhynchus by having three dark blotches on the lateral line (vs. dark longitudinal stripe along the lateral line). Additional characters useful to diagnose Leporinus elongatus include 36 or 37 pored scales on the lateral line, 4 scales rows from the dorsal fin origin to the lateral line and 4 from the lateral line to the base of the pelvic fin (Ref. 93038).
Biology:  Distinct pairs breed on densely grown weedy places (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 November 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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