Family Rhamphichthyidae - Sand knifefishes
Order : Gymnotiformes Rhamphichthyidae
Class : Teleostei
No. in FishBase : Genera : 3 | Species : 17 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes
Environment : Fresh : Yes | Brackish : No | Marine : No
Division : Primary freshwater
Aquarium : none
First Fossil Record :      
Remark : Sand knifefishes are known from South America. Body elongated and compressed; 12-26 precaudal vertebrae; pelvic girdle and fins absent; dorsal fin absent; anal fin extremely long from before pectorals to near tip of body; no caudal fin. Electric organs present (myogenic). Teeth absent on lower jaw; snout long and tubular; nostrils relatively close together. Ethmoid bone very long and narrow, measuring more than 1/3 of the entire length of the neurocranium; symplectic bone also greatly elongated (Ref. 26457). Nocturnal fishes that burrow in the sand during daytime.
Etymology : Greek, rhamphos = bill, beak + Greek, ichthys = fish ( Ref. 45335).
Reproductive guild : guarders
Typical activity level :
Main Ref. : Nelson, J.S. 1994
Coordinator : Nelson, J.S. 1994
Deep Fin Classification : Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Otomorpha | Ostariophysi | | Otophysa | | | | | | Siluriphysae | Gymnotiformes | Sternopygoidei | | Rhamphichthyidae

Show species images | Show valid names | Nominal species list | CAS specimen photos | References

Ref.
[ e.g. 9948 ]
Glossary
[ e.g. oophagy ]


Species/Synonymy list for the family Rhamphichthyidae as currently in FishBase

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.

Show all | Show only accepted name | Show only accepted and original names
Scientifc name Status Senior/Junior synonym Combination
Rhamphichthys rostratus (Linnaeus, 1766)
acceptedseniornew
Gymnotus rostratus Linnaeus, 1766
synonymseniororiginal
Gymnotus longirostratus Lacepède, 1800
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Rhamphichthys lineatus Castelnau, 1855
acceptedseniororiginal
Rhamphichthys marmoratus Castelnau, 1855
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Rhamphichthys hahni (Meinken, 1937)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
! Sternacorhamphus hahni Meinken, 1937
synonymseniororiginal
Rhamphichthys apurensis (Fernández-Yépez, 1968)
acceptedseniornew
Gymnorhamphichthys apurensis Fernández-Yépez, 1968
synonymseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Rhamphichthys longior Triques, 1999
acceptedseniororiginal
Rhamphichthys heleios Carvalho & Albert, 2015
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni (Miranda Ribeiro, 1920)
acceptedseniornew
Urumara rondoni Miranda Ribeiro, 1920
synonymseniororiginal
Gymnorhamphichthys hypostomus petiti (non Géry & Vu-Tân-Tuê, 1964)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Gymnorhamphichthys petiti Géry & Vu, 1964
acceptedseniorchange in rank
synonymseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniororiginal
Gymnorhamphichthys britskii Carvalho, Ramos & Albert, 2011
acceptedseniororiginal
Iracema caiana Triques, 1996
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
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