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Characiformes (Characins) >
Gasteropelecidae (Freshwater hatchetfishes)
Etymology: Gasteropelecus: Greek, gaster = stomach + Latin, pelecus =hatchet (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Issue
See Weitzman (1960) for distribution.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 7.0; dH range: ? - 15. Tropical; 23°C - 27°C (Ref. 1672)
South America: Peruvian Amazon, middle Amazon, the Guianas and Venezuela (Ref. 39056). Recorded from the Paraguay basin (Ref. 81048).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 116942)
Gregarious, can sometimes be aggressive or calm. Frequents slow-flowing waters of creeks and swamps (Ref. 27188). Lives in groups at the surface. It is capable of capturing small aerial insects. The females are bigger than the males. Feeds on worms, crustaceans and insects (Ref. 7020). Has not been bred in captivity (Ref. 27188). Aquarium specimens reach 6.5 cm TL (Ref. 7020). Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; may jump out of the aquarium; minimum aquarium size 80 cm (Ref. 51539).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Weitzman, S.H. and L. Palmer, 2003. Gasteropelecidae (Freshwater hatchetfishes). p. 101-103. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil. (Ref. 39056)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6270 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01905 (0.00942 - 0.03853), b=3.07 (2.89 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.40 se; based on food items.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).