Brachyhypopomus walteri Sullivan, Zuanon & Cox Fernandes, 2013
photo by John P. Sullivan et al.

Family:  Hypopomidae (Bluntnose knifefishes)
Max. size:  17.5 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Amazon basin.
Diagnosis:  This species can be distinguished by having the following combination of characters: distinct patch of brown pigment below skin at base of orbit; body yellow and semi-translucent in living specimens; caudal filament long and fine, greater than 20% of LEA (length from the tip of the snout to the posterior end of the anal-fin base) in intact specimens; electric discharge organ (EOD ) pulse duration very long (between 3.5 and 4 milliseconds at 25° C) with head-positive first phase of longer duration than second head-negative phase in both sexes (Ref. 94132).
Biology:  Usually found in floating meadow habitats, composed mostly of the grass Paspalum repens, Poaceae. Occurs mainly in white water, but also in areas near the confluence of black water rivers with the Amazonas/Solimões ranging from low to medium conductivity. Syntopic with the species of Eigenmannia, Gymnotus, the apteronotid Parapteronotus hasemani and the electric eel Electrophorus electricus in the floating meadow habitats (Ref. 94132).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 01 September 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.