Family Notopteridae - Featherbacks or knifefishes
Order : Osteoglossiformes Notopteridae
Class : Teleostei
No. in FishBase : Genera : 4 | Species : 10 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes
Environment : Fresh : Yes | Brackish : Yes | Marine : No
Division : Primary freshwater
Aquarium : some
First Fossil Record :      
Remark : Chiefly freshwater; sometimes in brackish water. Distribution: Africa (2) and Southeast Asia (2). Small quill-like dorsal fin (absent in Xenomystus) and long-based anal fin confluent with small caudal fin. Combined anal and caudal rays 100 or more. Pelvic fins, when present, small with 3-6 rays. No subopercle. Scales in lateral line 120-180. Scutes along ventral 25-45. Maximum length 80 cm. Small specimens are popular with home aquarists and large adults are exhibited in public aquaria. Most are used for food in their native ranges (Ref. 4537).
Etymology : Greek, noton = back + Greek, pteron = wing, fin
Reproductive guild : guarders
Typical activity level : sluggish
Main Ref. : Nelson, J.S. 1984
Coordinator :
Deep Fin Classification : Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Osteoglossomorpha | | | | | | | | | | | Osteoglossiformes | | | Notopteridae

Show species images | Show valid names | Nominal species list | Identification keys | CAS specimen photos | References

Ref.
[ e.g. 9948 ]
Glossary
[ e.g. oophagy ]


Species/Synonymy list for the family Notopteridae as currently in FishBase

Important recommendation:

The list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions, which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist.

Rather, it reflects the current content of FishBase, and the progress with respect to synchronization with the Catalog of Fishes. However, we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in FishBase, to start new work on the family, or to cross-check with other lists.

But we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value. In particular, for published scientific, we suggest then to cite it in the Material and Method section as a useful tool to conduct the research, but again, not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference.

Unless it is explicitly precised, the list is not complete, please search all original names published for the family in the Catalog of Fishes (genera, species), including those with uncertain or unknown status, that are not included in FishBase when they are not attached to a valid species.

This list uses some data from Catalog of Fishes (not shown but used to sort names).

The list ordered as follows:

Please send comments and corrections if you detect errors or missing names.

Show all | Show only accepted name | Show only accepted and original names
Scientifc name Status Senior/Junior synonym Combination
Notopterinae
Notopterus notopterus (Pallas, 1769)
acceptedseniornew
Notopterus primaevus Günther, 1876
synonymjuniororiginal
Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, 1769
synonymseniororiginal
Notopterus kapirat Lacepède, 1800
synonymjuniororiginal
Mystus kapirat (Lacepède, 1800)
synonymjuniornew
! Notopterus kopirot Lacepède, 1800
synonymjuniororiginal
Clupea synura Bloch & Schneider, 1801
synonymjuniororiginal
! Osteoglossum cynurus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
synonymjuniornew
Mystus badgee Sykes, 1839
synonymjuniororiginal
Notopterus pallasii Valenciennes, 1848
synonymjuniororiginal
Notopterus bontianus Valenciennes, 1848
synonymjuniororiginal
Glanis imberbis Gronow, 1854
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
Notopterus osmani Rahimullah & Das, 1991
synonymotheroriginal
Chitala chitala (Hamilton, 1822)
acceptedseniornew
Mystus chitala Hamilton, 1822
synonymseniororiginal
Notopterus chitala (Hamilton, 1822)
synonymseniornew
! Chitala cliltula (Hamilton, 1822)
synonymseniornew
! Notopterus chilata (Hamilton, 1822)
synonymseniornew
Notopterus maculatus Valenciennes, 1832
synonymjuniororiginal
Notopterus buchanani Valenciennes, 1848
synonymjuniororiginal
Mystus chitala buchanani (Valenciennes, 1848)
synonymjuniornew
Chitala lopis (non Bleeker, 1851)
misappliedmisappliednew
Chitala ornata (Gray, 1831)
acceptedseniornew
Notopterus ocellifer Bleeker, 1865
synonymotheroriginal
synonymseniororiginal
! Chitara ornata (Gray, 1831)
synonymseniornew
Notopterus chitala (non Hamilton, 1822)
misappliedmisappliednew
Notopterus buchanani (non Valenciennes, 1848)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Chitala borneensis (Bleeker, 1851)
acceptedseniornew
Notopterus borneensis Bleeker, 1851
synonymseniororiginal
Notopterus maculosus Bleeker, 1851
synonymjuniororiginal
Chitala lopis (Bleeker, 1851)
acceptedseniornew
Notopterus lopies Bleeker, 1845
synonymotheroriginal
Notopterus lopis Bleeker, 1851
synonymseniororiginal
Notopterus borneensis (non Bleeker, 1851)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Notopterus hypselonotus (non Bleeker, 1851)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Notopterus maculosus (non Bleeker, 1851)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Chitala hypselonotus (Bleeker, 1852)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Chitala blanci (d'Aubenton, 1965)
acceptedseniornew
Notopterus blanci d'Aubenton, 1965
synonymseniororiginal
! Chilata blanci (d'Aubenton, 1965)
synonymseniornew
Xenomystinae
Xenomystus nigri (Günther, 1868)
acceptedseniornew
Notopterus nigri Günther, 1868
synonymseniororiginal
! Xenomystes nigri (Günther, 1868)
synonymseniornew
Notopterus nili Steindachner, 1881
synonymjuniororiginal
Papyrocranus afer (Günther, 1868)
acceptedseniornew
Notopterus afer Günther, 1868
synonymseniororiginal
! Papyrochranus afer (Günther, 1868)
synonymseniornew
! Paryrocranus afer (Günther, 1868)
synonymseniornew
Notopterus afer congensis (non Nichols & LaMonte, 1932)
misappliedmisappliedmisapplied
Papyrocranus congoensis (Nichols & La Monte, 1932)
acceptedseniornew
Notopterus afer congoensis Nichols & La Monte, 1932
synonymseniororiginal
Notopterus afer (non Günther, 1868)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Papyrocranus afer (non Günther, 1868)
misappliedmisappliedmisapplied
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