Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Beloniformes (Needle fishes) > Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Etymology: Potamorrhaphis: Greek, potamos = river + Greek, rhaphis = needle (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Freshwater; pelagic; depth range 0 - ? m. Tropical; 23°C - 26°C (Ref. 2059), preferred ?

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

South America: Amazon and Orinoco River basins, and the Guianas.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 29.1 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40653); common length : 12.3 cm OT male/unsexed; (Ref. 10994)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 29-36; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 25 - 32; Vertebrae: 68 - 78. Predorsal scales 85-135, mean 110.3 (Ref. 10994, Table 7).

Forms schools at the surface. Prefers to inhabit marshes, small slow-moving creeks or even in main river beds, in the slowest parts of meandering streams next to banks (Ref. 35237). Voracious carnivore which appears to have a primarily nocturnal habit (Ref. 27188). During reproduction, the male positions itself beside the female or crosswise in front of her. Sometimes the male touches the female with his side, pushing her aside in an oblique position, with their heads oriented downwards. The couple settles next to a bush where the female spawns her eggs (15 to 40). Eggs adhere to plants by means of sticky filaments which are 2 to 3 mm long. At 27-30°C, incubation lasts for 9 to 10 days. Larvae are pelagic and carnivorous (Ref. 35237). Maximum length 40 cm TL in Keith et al., 2000 (Ref. 35237).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

The eggs are attached to underwater vegetation. At 27-30 deg. Celsius the larvae hatch after 9 - 10 days. The larvae are pelagic carnivores.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Collette, Bruce B. | Collaborators

Collette, B.B., 1982. South American freshwater needlefishes of the genus Potamorrhaphis (Beloniformes: Belonidae). Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 95(4):714-747. (Ref. 10994)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Not Evaluated

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

FAO(Publication : search) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

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Potamorrhaphis guianensis (Jardine, 1843)