Acestrorhynchus

Acestrorhynchus
Acestrorhynchus sp.
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Characiformes
Family:	Acestrorhynchidae C. H. Eigenmann, 1912
Genus:	Acestrorhynchus C. H. Eigenmann & C. H. Kennedy, 1903
Type species
Esox falcatus Bloch, 1794
Species
See text

Acestrorhynchus ("needle jaw" ) is a genus of characiform fish found only in fresh water in South America, the sole genus in the family Acestrorhynchidae. Their greatest diversity is in the Orinoco and Amazon basins.

These fish have elongated pike-like bodies and large conical teeth, adapted for predation on other types of fish. They are sometimes referred to as freshwater barracudas in the aquarium trade, although the name is used of other characins, as well. They range from 35 to 400 mm (1.5 in to 1 ft 3.5 in) in length.

Common names are cachorinho, cachorro, mopiye, payala, pejezorro, pez cachorro, pez zorro, pike characin, moinge, halatawéi, halataway, dagu fisi, ueua, wayabra, zadoe, freshwater barracuda, saicanga, branca, cajaba, cachorra magra, cadelinha and dentudo.

Species

There are currently 14 valid species:

• Acestrorhynchus abbreviatus (Cope, 1878)
• Acestrorhynchus altus Menezes, 1969
• Acestrorhynchus britskii Menezes, 1969
• Acestrorhynchus falcatus (Bloch, 1794) (freshwater barracuda, spotted cachorro)
• Acestrorhynchus falcirostris (G. Cuvier, 1819) (slender freshwater barracuda, big-eyed cachorro)
• Acestrorhynchus grandoculis Menezes & Géry, 1983
• Acestrorhynchus heterolepis (Cope, 1878)
• Acestrorhynchus isalineae Menezes & Géry, 1983
• Acestrorhynchus lacustris (Lütken, 1875)
• Acestrorhynchus maculipinna Menezes & Géry, 1983
• Acestrorhynchus microlepis (Jardine, 1841) (pike characin)
• Acestrorhynchus minimus Menezes, 1969
• Acestrorhynchus nasutus C. H. Eigenmann, 1912
• Acestrorhynchus pantaneiro Menezes, 1992

References

• Aquarium info