Tetra

Tetra
Ornate tetra, Hyphessobrycon bentosi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: -Alestiidae
-Characidae
-Lebiasinidae
Genera

More than 150[1]

Black neon tetra, Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
Pristella tetra, Pristella maxillaris
Golden pristella tetra, a morph of Pristella maxillaris
Silvertip tetra, Hasemania nana

A tetra is one of several species of small freshwater fish from Africa, Central America, and South America belonging to the biological family Characidae and to its former subfamilies Alestidae (the "African tetras") and Lebiasinidae. The Characidae are distinguished from other fish by the presence of a small adipose fin between the dorsal and caudal fins. Many of these, such as the neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi), are brightly colored and easy to keep in captivity. Consequently, they are extremely popular for home aquaria.

Tetra is no longer a taxonomic, phylogenetic term. It is short for Tetragonopterus, a genus name formerly applied to many of these fish, which is Greek for "square-finned" (literally, four-sided-wing).

Because of the popularity of tetras in the fishkeeping hobby, many unrelated fish are commonly known as tetras, including species from different families. Even vastly different fish may be called tetras. For example, payara (Hydrolycus scomberoides) is occasionally known as the "sabretooth tetra" or "vampire tetra".

Tetras generally have compressed (sometimes deep), fusiform bodies and are typically identifiable by their fins. They ordinarily possess a homocercal caudal fin (a twin-lobed, or forked, tail fin whose upper and lower lobes are of equal size) and a tall dorsal fin characterized by a short connection to the fish’s body.[2] Additionally, tetras possess a long anal fin stretching from a position just posterior of the dorsal fin and ending on the ventral caudal peduncle, and a small, fleshy adipose fin located dorsally between the dorsal and caudal fins. This adipose fin represents the fourth unpaired fin on the fish (the four unpaired fins include the caudal fin, dorsal fin, anal fin, and adipose fin), lending to the name tetra, which is Greek for four.[2] While this adipose fin is generally considered the distinguishing feature, some tetras (such as the emperor tetras, Nematobrycon palmeri) lack this appendage. Ichthyologists debate the function of the adipose fin, doubting its role in swimming due to its small size and lack of stiffening rays or spines.[3]

Although the list below is sorted by common name, in a number of cases the common name is applied to different species. Since the aquarium trade may use a different name for the same species, advanced aquarists tend to use scientific names for the less-common tetras. The list below is incomplete.

Species

Tetra species: A–D

E–Q


R–Z

  • rainbow tetra, Nematobrycon lacortei
  • rainbow tetra, Nematobrycon palmeri
  • red eye tetra, Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae
  • Red Phantom Tetra, Hyphessobrycon sweglesi
  • red tetra, Hyphessobrycon flammeus
  • redspotted tetra, Copeina guttata
  • rosy tetra, Hyphessobrycon bentosi
  • rosy tetra, Hyphessobrycon rosaceus
  • royal tetra, Inpaichthys kerri
  • ruby tetra, Axelrodia riesei
  • rummy-nose tetra, Hemigrammus rhodostomus (bleheri)
  • sailfin tetra, Crenuchus spilurus
  • savage tetra, Hyphessobrycon savagei
  • savanna tetra, Hyphessobrycon stegemanni
  • semaphore tetra, Pterobrycon myrnae
  • serpae tetra, Hyphessobrycon eques
  • sharptooth tetra, Micralestes acutidens
  • silver tetra, Ctenobrycon spilurus
  • silver tetra, Gymnocorymbus thayeri
  • silver tetra, Micralestes acutidens
  • silvertip tetra, Hasemania melanura
  • silvertip tetra, Hasemania nana
  • splash tetra, Copella arnoldi
  • spotfin tetra, Hyphessobrycon socolofi
  • spottail tetra, Moenkhausia dichroura
  • spotted tetra, Copella nattereri
  • Swegles's tetra, Hyphessobrycon sweglesi
  • tailspot tetra, Bryconops caudomaculatus
  • tetra von Rio, Hyphessobrycon flammeus
  • three-lined African tetra, Neolebias trilineatus
  • Tietê tetra, Brycon insignis
  • Tortuguero tetra, Hyphessobrycon tortuguerae
  • transparent tetra, Charax gibbosus
  • true big-scale tetra, Brycinus macrolepidotus
  • Uruguay tetra, Cheirodon interruptus
  • white spot tetra, Aphyocharax paraguayensis
  • x-ray tetra, Pristella maxillaris
  • yellow tetra, Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus
  • yellow-tailed African tetra, Alestopetersius caudalis

References

  1. As of 2003 the Integrated Taxonomic Information System lists 164 genera of Characidae.
  2. 1 2 Carey, R. Tetras and Barbs: A Complete Guide to the Successful Care and Breeding of Two of the Most Popular Groups of Aquarium Fish. TFH Publications, Inc., 2009
  3. Moyle, P., & Cech, J. Fishes: An Introduction to Ichthyology (5th ed.). Pearson, Benjamin Cummings, 2004
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