Freshwater hatchetfish

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iFreshwater hatchetfishes
Blackwinged hatchetfish, Carnegiella marthae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Characiformes Family: Gasteropelecidae
Genera
Carnegiella Gasteropelecus Thoracocharax

The freshwater hatchetfishes are a family, Gasteropelecidae, of ray-finned fish. The common hatchetfish is the most popular member among fish keeping hobbyists. The family includes three genera: Carnegiella (4 species), Gasteropelecus (3 species), and Thoracocharax (2 species). They should not be confused with the marine hatchetfish, an unrelated family Sternoptychidae.

Freshwater hatchetfish have an enormously enlarged sternal region and large pectoral fins with massive associated muscles. Due to this, they are the only fish technically enabled for powered (as opposed to gliding, as in flyingfish) flight, although the exact degree to which this mechanism is actually used is not well researched. Albeit only for distances of a few meters and in a straight line, they can propel themselves out of the water and at least assist their flight by rapidly striking their pectoral fins to evade predators, or make shorter flying jumps to catch insects.

[edit] Genera and species

• Genus Carnegiella
  • Blackwinged hatchetfish, Carnegiella marthae
  • Pygmy hatchetfish, Carnegiella myersi
  • Dwarf hatchetfish, Carnegiella schereri
  • Marbled hatchetfish, Carnegiella strigata
• Genus Gasteropelecus
  • Silver hatchetfish, Gasteropelecus levis
  • Spotted hatchetfish, Gasteropelecus maculatus
  • Common hatchetfish, Gasteropelecus sternicla
• Genus Thoracocharax
  • Greater hatchetfish, Thoracocharax securis
  • Spotfin hatchetfish, Thoracocharax stellatus

[edit] References

• Gasteropelecidae (TSN 163118). Integrated Taxonomic Information System.