| Lebiasinidae | |
|---|---|
| Nannostomus trifasciatus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Superfamily: | Erythrinoidea |
| Family: | Lebiasinidae |
| Subfamilies | |
|
Lebiasininae |
|
The Lebiasinidae (order Characiformes), are a family of freshwater fishes found in Costa Rica, Panama, and South America. They are usually small and are known as ornamental fishes in aquaria, including popular fishes such as the pencil fish and splashing tetra.
Lebiasinids are small, cylindrical fish, ranging from 2 centimetres (0.79 in) to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) in adult length. They prey on insect larvae, especially those of mosquitos. The family includes the voladoras, found in high altitude lakes in the Andes and Central America, but the other species are lowland fish inhabiting the Orinoco, Amazon, and Paraguay river basins.[1]
There are seven genera and approximately 67 species:[2]
Family Lebiasinidae