Family Apteronotidae - Ghost knifefishes | ||||
Order | : | Gymnotiformes | ||
Class | : | Teleostei | ||
No. in FishBase | : | Genera : 14 | Species : 95 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes | ||
Environment | : | Fresh : Yes | Brackish : No | Marine : No | ||
Division | : | Primary freshwater | ||
Aquarium | : | some | ||
First Fossil Record | : | |||
Remark | : | Species diversity and systematics of the Apteronotidae has been reviewed by Mago-Leccia (1994), Albert and Campos-da-Paz (1998), and Albert (2001). Apteronotid species are readily recognized as the only gymnotiform fishes with a caudal fin and a dorsal organ (a longitudinal strip of fleshy tissue firmly attached to posterodorsal midline). Among gymnotiforms, apteronotid species also possess the following unique combination of characters: small eye (its diameter less than distance between nares); infraorbital and supraorbital laterosensory lines connected anterior to eye; infraorbital bones ossified as slender tubes; anterior nares located outside gape; no urogenital papilla; 1-2 rows of conical teeth in both jaws; anal-fin origin at, or anterior to, isthmus; no urogenital papilla. Apteronotids also possess a high frequency tone-type electric organ discharge (more than 750 Hz at maturity). There are currently 72 names available in the literature for apteronotid genera and species. Of these, 13 generic and 52 species names are valid. There are in addition 12 manuscript names for species currently in preparation, bringing the known diversity of Apteronotidae to 64 species. Many more apteronotid species are anticipated, as the rate of description is accelerating. Apteronotids are relatively conservative in terms of overall external morphology. Like all gymnotiforms the shape is typically culteriform, with an elongate body and anal fin. Higher level apteronotid taxonomy emphasizes differences in snout length and shape, and shape and position of the mouth. Apteronotids exhibit substantial diversity in total adult body size, ranging from an undescribed Amazonian species of Adontosternarchus, and Megadontognathus kaitukaensis (each growing to about 160 mm) to Apteronotus (formerly Ubidia) magdalenese (1.3 M) (Campos-da-Paz, 1999). The Apteronotidae is confined to the Humid Neotropics, ranging the Rio de la Plata of Argentina (35° S) to the Rio Tuira of Panama (8°N). Apteronotids are known from the continental waters of all South American countries except Chile (Albert, 2001), and are most diverse - both taxonomically and ecologically - in the Amazon basin. The ecology and natural history of most apteronotid species is poorly understood. Apteronotus species are the most widely distributed, extending the full range of the family. Apteronotus species inhabit both floodplain and tierra firme (non-floodplain) streams and rivers. Like many apteronotids, Apteronotus are aggressive predators of small aquatic insect larvae and fishes. Apteronotids are most diverse in the Amazonian floodplain, where many species are specialized to inhabit deep portions of the river channel. Some main channel apteronotids are aggressive piscivores (e.g., Sternarchella), whereas other are planktivores (Adontosternarchus). Magosternarchus spp. predate the tails of other electric fishes. Other species (e.g., Sternarchorhynchus, Sternarchorhamphus) have tubular snouts and forage on the beds of aquatic insect larvae on the rivers bottoms. At least one species (Sternarchogiton nattereri) eats freshwater sponges which grow on submerged trees, stumps, and other woody debris. Orthosternarchus is perhaps the most specialized for life at the river bottom, in many ways resembling cave fishes; they are almost entirely blind, with minute, assyemtically arranged eyes; and they have almost no pigments or scales, appearing bright pink in life due to the underlying blood hemoglobin. An important aspect of apteronotid diversity is sexual dimorphism in snout size and shape. Reproductively mature males of Parapteronotus hasemani have highly elongate jaws, which are presumed to be involved in male-male competition. Mature males of Sternarchorhynchus roseni possess numeous teeth on their lower jaw. Mature male Sternarchogiton nattereri grow teeth externally over the snout, giving them an appearance to unusuall that for 40 years they have been regarded as representing an entirely different genus (Oedemognathus). Apteronotid systematics and taxonomy is rapidly changing as new species and previously undocumented phenotypes are discovered. The total expected number of species cannot currently be estimated with confidence. A large number of undescribed apteronotid species are known in museum collections and many more are likely to be captured from continued field studies, particularly in Western and Central Amazonia. There is little direct commercial exploitation of Apteronotid species. Many species are ecologically important in Amazonian floodplains, often constituting a significant fraction of the biomass (Crampton, 1996). Two species (Apteronotus albifrons and A. leptorhynchus) are common in the aquarium trade. Apteronotids are not an important food resource. | ||
Etymology | : | Greek, aptero = without fins + Greek, noton = back ( Ref. 45335). | ||
Reproductive guild | : | nonguarders | ||
Typical activity level | : | |||
Main Ref. | : | Albert, J.S. 2003 | ||
Coordinator | : | Albert, J.S. 2003 | ||
Deep Fin Classification | : | Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Otomorpha | Ostariophysi | | Otophysa | | | | | | Siluriphysae | Gymnotiformes | Sternopygoidei | | Apteronotidae |
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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Apteronotinae | ||||
Apteronotus albifrons (Linnaeus, 1766) | accepted | senior | new | |
Gymnotus albifrons Linnaeus, 1766 | synonym | senior | original | |
Sternarchus albifrons (Linnaeus, 1766) | synonym | senior | new | |
Apteronotus passan Lacepède, 1800 | synonym | junior | original | |
Sternarchus lacepedii Castelnau, 1855 | synonym | junior | original | |
Sternarchus maximilliani Castelnau, 1855 | synonym | junior | original | |
Apteronotus brasiliensis (Reinhardt, 1852) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus brasiliensis Reinhardt, 1852 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus bonapartii (Castelnau, 1855) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus bonapartii Castelnau, 1855 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus macrolepis (Steindachner, 1881) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus macrolepis Steindachner, 1881 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus leptorhynchus (Ellis, 1912) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus leptorhynchus Ellis, 1912 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus rostratus (Meek & Hildebrand, 1913) | accepted | senior | new | |
! Stenarchus rostratus Meek & Hildebrand, 1913 | synonym | senior | original | |
Sternarchus rostratus Meek & Hildebrand, 1913 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus mariae (Eigenmann & Fisher, 1914) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus mariae Eigenmann & Fisher, 1914 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus spurrellii (Regan, 1914) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus spurrellii Regan, 1914 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus macrostomus (Fowler, 1943) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus macrostomus Fowler, 1943 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus jurubidae (Fowler, 1944) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus jurubidae Fowler, 1944 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus magdalenensis (Miles, 1945) | accepted | senior | new | |
Ubidia magdalenensis Miles, 1945 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus cuchillejo (Schultz, 1949) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchogiton cuchillejo Schultz, 1949 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus cuchillo Schultz, 1949 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus ellisi (Alonso de Arámburu, 1957) | accepted | senior | new | |
Porotergus ellisi Alonso de Arámburu, 1957 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus apurensis Fernández-Yépez, 1968 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus curvioperculata (Godoy, 1968) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchella curvioperculata Godoy, 1968 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus caudimaculosus de Santana, 2003 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus eschmeyeri de Santana, Maldonado-Ocampo, Severi & Mendes, 2004 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus rostratus (non Meek & Hildebrand, 1913) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Stenarchus rostratus (non Meek & Hildebrand, 1913) | misapplied | misapplied | original | |
Apteronotus milesi de Santana & Maldonado-Ocampo, 2005 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus camposdapazi de Santana & Lehmann A., 2006 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus magoi de Santana, Castillo & Taphorn, 2006 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus galvisi de Santana, Maldonado-Ocampo & Crampton, 2007 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus acidops Triques, 2011 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus lindalvae de Santana & Cox Fernandes, 2012 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus anu de Santana & Vari, 2013 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus baniwa de Santana & Vari, 2013 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus ferrarisi de Santana & Vari, 2013 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus pemon de Santana & Vari, 2013 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus oxyrhynchus (Müller & Troschel, 1849) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus oxyrhynchus Müller & Troschel, 1849 | synonym | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus mulleri Castelnau, 1855 | synonym | junior | original | |
! Sternarchorhynchus muelleri Castelnau, 1855 | synonym | junior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus mormyrus (Steindachner, 1868) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus mormyrus Steindachner, 1868 | synonym | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus curvirostris (Boulenger, 1887) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus curvirostris Boulenger, 1887 | synonym | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus roseni Mago-Leccia, 1994 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus britskii Campos-da-Paz, 2000 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus curvirostris (non Boulenger, 1887) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Sternarchorhynchus mesensis Campos-da-Paz, 2000 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus caboclo de Santana & Nogueira, 2006 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus oxyrhynchus (non Müller & Troschel, 1849) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Sternarchorhynchus curumim de Santana & Crampton, 2006 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus gnomus de Santana & Taphorn, 2006 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus severii de Santana & Nogueira, 2006 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus axelrodi de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus mormyrus (non Steindachner, 1868) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Sternarchorhynchus chaoi de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus cramptoni de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus roseni (non Mago-Leccia, 1994) | misapplied | misapplied | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus freemani de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus oxyrhynchus (non Müller & Troschel, 1849) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Sternarchorhynchus galibi de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus goeldii de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus hagedornae de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus higuchii de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus inpai de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus jaimei de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus kokraimoro de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus mareikeae de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus oxyrhynchus (non Müller & Troschel, 1849) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Sternarchorhynchus marreroi de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus mendesi de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus montanus de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus retzeri de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus roseni (non Mago-Leccia, 1994) | misapplied | misapplied | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus schwassmanni de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus starksi de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus mormyrus (non Steindachner, 1868) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Sternarchorhynchus curvirostris (non Boulenger, 1887) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Sternarchorhynchus stewarti de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus curvirostris (non Boulenger, 1887) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Sternarchorhynchus taphorni de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus villasboasi de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhynchus yepezi de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchella schotti (Steindachner, 1868) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus schotti Steindachner, 1868 | synonym | senior | original | |
Sternarchus capanemae Steindachner, 1868 | synonym | junior | original | |
Porotergus terminalis Eigenmann & Allen, 1942 | synonym | junior | original | |
Sternarchella terminalis (Eigenmann & Allen, 1942) | synonym | junior | new | |
Sternarchella sima Starks, 1913 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchella orinoco Mago-Leccia, 1994 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchella orthos Mago-Leccia, 1994 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchella duccis (Lundberg, Cox Fernandes & Albert, 1996) | accepted | senior | new | |
Magosternarchus duccis Lundberg, Cox Fernandes & Albert, 1996 | synonym | senior | original | |
Sternarchella raptor (Lundberg, Cox Fernandes & Albert, 1996) | accepted | senior | new | |
Magosternarchus raptor Lundberg, Cox Fernandes & Albert, 1996 | synonym | senior | original | |
Sternarchella calhamazon Lundberg, Coz Fernandes, Campos da Paz & Sullivan, 2013 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchella patriciae Evans, Crampton & Albert, 2017 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchella rex Evans, Crampton & Albert, 2017 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchogiton nattereri (Steindachner, 1868) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus nattereri Steindachner, 1868 | synonym | senior | original | |
Oedemognathus exodon Myers, 1936 | synonym | junior | original | |
Sternarchogiton porcinum Eigenmann & Allen, 1942 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchogiton labiatus de Santana & Crampton, 2007 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchogiton preto de Santana & Crampton, 2007 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchogiton zuanoni de Santana & Vari, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Adontosternarchus sachsi (Peters, 1877) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus sachsi Peters, 1877 | synonym | senior | original | |
Adontosternarchus balaenops (Cope, 1878) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus balaenops Cope, 1878 | synonym | senior | original | |
Adontosternarchus clarkae Mago-Leccia, Lundberg & Baskin, 1985 | accepted | senior | original | |
Adontosternarchus devenanzii Mago-Leccia, Lundberg & Baskin, 1985 | accepted | senior | original | |
Adontosternarchus nebulosus Lundberg & Cox Fernandes, 2007 | accepted | senior | original | |
Adontosternarchus duartei de Santana & Vari, 2012 | accepted | senior | original | |
Porotergus gymnotus Ellis, 1912 | accepted | senior | original | |
Porotergus gimbeli Ellis, 1912 | accepted | senior | original | |
Porotergus duende de Santana & Crampton, 2010 | accepted | senior | original | |
Porotergus gymnotus (non Ellis, 1912) | misapplied | misapplied | original | |
Megadontognathus cuyuniensis Mago-Leccia, 1994 | accepted | senior | original | |
! Megadontognathus cuyuniense Mago-Leccia, 1994 | synonym | senior | original | |
Megadontognathus kaitukaensis Campos-da-paz, 1999 | accepted | senior | original | |
Platyurosternarchus macrostoma (Günther, 1870) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus macrostoma Günther, 1870 | synonym | senior | original | |
! Platyurosternarchus macrostomus (Günther, 1870) | synonym | senior | new | |
Platyurosternarchus crypticus de Santana & Vari, 2009 | accepted | senior | original | |
Platyurosternarchus macrostomus (non Günther, 1870) | misapplied | misapplied | new | |
Sternarchorhamphus macrostoma (non Günther, 1870) | misapplied | misapplied | misapplied | |
Tembeassu marauna Triques, 1998 | accepted | senior | original | |
Apteronotus marauna (Triques, 1998) | synonym | senior | new | |
Compsaraia compsa (Mago-Leccia, 1994) | accepted | senior | new | |
Porotergus compsus Mago-Leccia, 1994 | synonym | senior | original | |
! Compsaraia compsus (Mago-Leccia, 1994) | synonym | senior | new | |
Compsaraia samueli Albert & Crampton, 2009 | accepted | senior | original | |
Compsaraia iara Bernt & Albert, 2017 | accepted | senior | original | |
Parapteronotus hasemani (Ellis, 1913) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus hasemani Ellis, 1913 | synonym | senior | original | |
Apteronotus hasemani (Ellis, 1913) | synonym | senior | new | |
Apteronotus anas Eigenmann & Allen, 1942 | synonym | junior | original | |
Pariosternarchus amazonensis Albert & Crampton, 2006 | accepted | senior | original | |
Sternarchorhamphinae | ||||
Sternarchorhamphus muelleri (Steindachner, 1881) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus muelleri Steindachner, 1881 | synonym | senior | original | |
Orthosternarchus tamandua (Boulenger, 1898) | accepted | senior | new | |
Sternarchus tamandua Boulenger, 1898 | synonym | senior | original |