Curimatidae

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Curimatidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Superfamily: Anostomoidea
Family: Curimatidae
Genera
  • Curimata
  • Curimatella
  • Curimatopsis
  • Cyphocharax
  • Potamorhina
  • Psectogaster
  • Pseudocurimata
  • Steindachnerina

Curimatidae is the name of a family of freshwater fishes, known as the toothless characins of the order Characiformes. They originate from southern Costa Rica to northern Argentina. The family has eight genera and around 95 species, many of them frequently exploited for human consumption.

This family lacks jaw teeth; Anodus is the only other characiform outside of this family that lacks jaw teeth. They are microphagous, which means their food matter tends to be small.

This family is closely related to Prochilodontidae.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • "Curimatidae". FishBase. Ed. Rainer Froese and Daniel Pauly. Mar 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
  • Nelson, Joseph S. (2006). Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0471250317
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