Family Notopteridae - Featherbacks or knifefishes | ||||
Order | : | Osteoglossiformes | ||
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 |
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.
Scientifc name | Status | Senior/Junior synonym | Combination | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Notopterinae | ||||
Notopterus notopterus (Pallas, 1769) | accepted | senior | new | |
Notopterus primaevus Günther, 1876 | synonym | junior | original | |
Gymnotus notopterus Pallas, 1769 | synonym | senior | original | |
Notopterus kapirat Lacepède, 1800 | synonym | junior | original | |
Mystus kapirat (Lacepède, 1800) | synonym | junior | new | |
! Notopterus kopirot Lacepède, 1800 | synonym | junior | original | |
Clupea synura Bloch & Schneider, 1801 | synonym | junior | original | |
! Osteoglossum cynurus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) | synonym | junior | new | |
Mystus badgee Sykes, 1839 | synonym | junior | original | |
Notopterus pallasii Valenciennes, 1848 | synonym | junior | original | |
Notopterus bontianus Valenciennes, 1848 | synonym | junior | original | |
Glanis imberbis Gronow, 1854 | ambiguous | questionable | original | |
Notopterus osmani Rahimullah & Das, 1991 | synonym | other | original | |
Chitala chitala (Hamilton, 1822) | accepted | senior | new | |
Mystus chitala Hamilton, 1822 | synonym | senior | original | |
Notopterus chitala (Hamilton, 1822) | synonym | senior | new | |
! Chitala cliltula (Hamilton, 1822) | synonym | senior | new | |
! Notopterus chilata (Hamilton, 1822) | synonym | senior | new | |
Notopterus maculatus Valenciennes, 1832 | synonym | junior | original | |
Notopterus buchanani Valenciennes, 1848 | synonym | junior | original | |
Mystus chitala buchanani (Valenciennes, 1848) | synonym | junior | new | |
Chitala lopis (non Bleeker, 1851) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Chitala ornata (Gray, 1831) | accepted | senior | new | |
Notopterus ocellifer Bleeker, 1865 | synonym | other | original | |
Notopterus ornatus Gray, 1831 | synonym | senior | original | |
! Chitara ornata (Gray, 1831) | synonym | senior | new | |
Notopterus chitala (non Hamilton, 1822) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Notopterus buchanani (non Valenciennes, 1848) | misapplied | misapplied | original | |
Chitala borneensis (Bleeker, 1851) | accepted | senior | new | |
Notopterus borneensis Bleeker, 1851 | synonym | senior | original | |
Notopterus maculosus Bleeker, 1851 | synonym | junior | original | |
Chitala lopis (Bleeker, 1851) | accepted | senior | new | |
Notopterus lopies Bleeker, 1845 | synonym | other | original | |
Notopterus lopis Bleeker, 1851 | synonym | senior | original | |
Notopterus borneensis (non Bleeker, 1851) | misapplied | misapplied | original | |
Notopterus hypselonotus (non Bleeker, 1851) | misapplied | misapplied | original | |
Notopterus maculosus (non Bleeker, 1851) | misapplied | misapplied | original | |
Chitala hypselonotus (Bleeker, 1852) | accepted | senior | new | |
Notopterus hypselonotus Bleeker, 1852 | synonym | senior | original | |
Chitala blanci (d'Aubenton, 1965) | accepted | senior | new | |
Notopterus blanci d'Aubenton, 1965 | synonym | senior | original | |
! Chilata blanci (d'Aubenton, 1965) | synonym | senior | new | |
Xenomystinae | ||||
Xenomystus nigri (Günther, 1868) | accepted | senior | new | |
Notopterus nigri Günther, 1868 | synonym | senior | original | |
! Xenomystes nigri (Günther, 1868) | synonym | senior | new | |
Notopterus nili Steindachner, 1881 | synonym | junior | original | |
Papyrocranus afer (Günther, 1868) | accepted | senior | new | |
Notopterus afer Günther, 1868 | synonym | senior | original | |
! Papyrochranus afer (Günther, 1868) | synonym | senior | new | |
! Paryrocranus afer (Günther, 1868) | synonym | senior | new | |
Notopterus afer congensis (non Nichols & LaMonte, 1932) | misapplied | misapplied | misapplied | |
Papyrocranus congoensis (Nichols & La Monte, 1932) | accepted | senior | new | |
Notopterus afer congoensis Nichols & La Monte, 1932 | synonym | senior | original | |
Notopterus afer (non Günther, 1868) | misapplied | misapplied | original | |
Papyrocranus afer (non Günther, 1868) | misapplied | misapplied | misapplied |