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

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Characiformes (Characins) > Serrasalmidae ()
Etymology: Myloplus: Greek, mylos, -ou = grey mullet + Greek, plus, ploos = movement of a serpent.

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 5.0 - 7.0; dH range: ? - 15. Tropical; 23°C - 27°C (Ref. 13371), preferred ?

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

South America: Amazon and Orinoco River basins; north and eastern Guiana Shield rivers.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 41.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 111518); max. published weight: 2.5 kg (Ref. 27188)

Gregarious and non-aggressive (Ref. 27188). Prefers calm zones of main rivers where the vegetation hangs over the river banks. Feeds on the leaves of river plants (Ref. 12225). Possesses powerful dentition that can cause serious bites. Its reproduction has not yet been carried out in captivity (Ref. 27188).

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

The red hooked anal fin of the female is actually a plough. The male has a bilobed anal fin which is designed to wrap around the female's "hook". During spawning, the female inserts the hook into the substrate (e.g., gravel) and ploughs a furrow while laying the eggs with the male in a position next to her with his bi-lobed fin wrapped around the hook as he fertilises the eggs. The female's "hook" is suprisingly strong and can be pushed into coarse gravel (up to the anal opening) without any problem with a shaking body action, the male's bilobed hook folds under the same pressure so they can work in unison (Ref. 55767).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Ortega, H. and R.P. Vari, 1986. Annotated checklist of the freshwater fishes of Peru. Smithson. Contrib. Zool. (437):1-25. (Ref. 6329)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Not Evaluated

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Traumatogenic

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

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More information

Countries
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Occurrences
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Ecology
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Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
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Length-weight
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Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Myloplus rubripinnis (Müller & Troschel, 1844)