Order

Characiformes

  Class

Actinopterygii

No. in FishBase

Genera : 2 | Species : 7 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes

  Environment

Fresh : Yes | Brackish : No | Marine : No

  Division

Primary freshwater

  Aquarium

some

  First Fossil Record

     

  Remark

The attenuate body, elongate jaws bearing numerous relatively small teeth with posteriorly recurved teeth arranged in a single row in each jaw, and the posteriorly positioned dorsal and anal fins are features which in combination serve to unequivocally separate the Ctenoluciidae from other members of the Characiformes. The Ctenoluciidae is also distinguished within the Characiformes by a series of derived features discussed by Vari (1995). Members of the family range from moderate sized species (e.g., Ctenolucius hujeta; largest examined specimen 22.8 cm SL) to among the largest of New World characiforms (Boulengerella cuvieri; largest examined specimen 67.5 cm SL). The taxonomy, morphology, phylogenetics, and biogeography of the family were discussed by Vari (1995). Ctenoluciids are distributed though the lowlands and lower elevation uplands to both sides of the Andean Cordilleras. Ctenolucius ranges from the Pacific Ocean slope rivers of western Panama, though the river systems of northwestern and northern Colombia, to the eastern tributaries of the Lago Maracaibo basin in northwestern Venezuela. Boulengerella is widely distributed in the Río Orinoco, Rio Amazonas, and Rio Tocantins basins and the shorter coastal rivers of Guyana, French Guiana (Guyane), and the Brazilian states of Amapá and Pará. According to Breder (1925:144), Miles (1941:65) and Dahl (1971:106) Ctenolucius species are predators in calm waters with immature specimens gathering together in schools and adults being solitary hunters. Boulengerella species are all predators, apparently feeding exclusively on fishes as adults (Goulding et al., 1988: 135, 139, 140, 144, 173). Breeding behavior of B. cuvieri was discussed by Mendes dos Santos et al. (1984:24) and Vazzoler and Menezes (1992:632) discussed sexual maturation and breeding season of that species. The recent study of the family by Vari (1995) revealed only one species new to science and it is not expected that many more species await discovery. Members of the Ctenoluciidae are important as high-level predators (Smith, 1981:22) and are exploited in both subsistence and commercial food fishes (Mendes dos Santos et al., 1984) and for export in the aquarium fish trade (Castro, 1986:3).

  Etymology

Greek, kteis, ktenos = comb (ctenoid-like scales) + lucius = pike (P.Adamicka, pers.comm. 12/08).

  Reproductive guild

nonguarders

  Typical activity level

  Main Ref

Vari, R.P. 1995

  Coordinator

Vari, R.P. 1995

  Deep Fin Classification

Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Otomorpha | Ostariophysi | Otophysa | Characiphysae | Characiformes | Characoidei | Ctenoluciidae