Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gymnotiformes (Knifefishes) >
Hypopomidae (Bluntnose knifefishes)
Etymology: Microsternarchus: Greek, mikros = small + Greek, sternon = breast + Greek, archos = anus (Ref. 45335); brevis: Named for its overall size and caudal filament (Latin 'brevis' for short)..
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic; pH range: 4.0 - 5.0; depth range 0 - 2 m (Ref. 104297). Tropical; 25°C - 26°C (Ref. 104297)
South America: Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.3 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 104297); 5.3 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is distinguished by the following characters: short caudal filament 12.8-20.9% of TL; size of body small 3.75-5.32 cm SL; slightly inferior mouth 1.34-2.42 cm HL; pigmentation on body uniformly distributed along the entire area, including head; it also lacks a well delineated dark area on the pseudotympanum, where the anterior end of the posterior lateral line nerve branches with the dorsal ramus of the posterior lateral line nerve (Ref. 104297).
This species is collected in shallow areas from 0.5-1.5 m in the dry season or at the beginning of the rainy season. It also occurs in black-water streams along the middle part of the rio Negro Basin (Amazon). Along stream margins, it occurs in well oxygnated waler and prefers weak current with abundant submerged vegetation, roots and leaf litter. In areas with stronger current, this species tends to inhabit submerged trees and tangled roots of epiphytic plants. Variation of physico-chemical water parameters taken in 2002-2007: conductivity 9.0-22.2 µS/cm, temperature 25-26°C, ph 4.01-5.0 and dissolved oxygen 4.12-7.10 mg/L. Stomach contents of one specimen contains parts of zooplankton. Associated genera of gymnotiforms species collected in the area were Brachypopomus and Hypopgus (Ref. 104297).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Cox Fernandes, C., A. Nogueira, A. Williston and J.A. Alves-Gomes, 2015. A new species of electric knifefish from the rio Negro, Amazon basin (Gymnotiformes: Hypopomidae, Microsternarchini). Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil. 164(1):213-227. (Ref. 104297)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00102 (0.00046 - 0.00225), b=3.06 (2.88 - 3.24), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
