Hydrocynus
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| Hydrocynus | |
|---|---|
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| All five species compared. H. vittatus, H. tanzaniae, H. forskahlii, H. brevis and H. goliath | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Alestidae |
| Genus: | Hydrocynus Cuvier, 1816 |
| Species | |
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See text | |
Hydrocynus is a genus of large characin fish in the family Alestidae commonly called "tigerfish," endemic to the African continent. The genus name is derived from the Greek hydro ("water") + kyon ("dog"). (In fact, this fish is popularly referred to as poisson chien (dog fish) in French-speaking West Africa.) The genus contains five[1] species, all popularly known as "African Tigerfish" for their fierce predatory behavior and other characteristics that make them excellent game fish.[2] The Hydrocynus is the only freshwater fish proven to prey on birds in flight.[3]
Species
- Hydrocynus brevis (Günther, 1864) (Tigerfish)
- Hydrocynus forskahlii (G. Cuvier, 1819) (Elongate tigerfish)
- Hydrocynus goliath Boulenger, 1898 (Giant tigerfish)
- Hydrocynus tanzaniae B. Brewster, 1986 (Blue tigerfish)
- Hydrocynus vittatus Castelnau, 1861 (Striped tigerfish)
Notes and references
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