Family Ctenoluciidae - Pike-characids
  Order
:
Ctenoluciidae
  Class
:
Teleostei
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.
:
  Coordinator
:
  Deep Fin Classification
:
Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Otomorpha | Ostariophysi | | Otophysa | | | | | | Characiphysae | Characiformes | Characoidei | | Ctenoluciidae

Show species images | Show valid names | Nominal species list | Identification keys | CAS specimen photos | References

 
Ref.
[ e.g. 9948]
Glossary
[ e.g. cephalopods]


Species/Synonymy list for the family Ctenoluciidae as currently in FishBase

Important recommendation:

The list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions, which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist.

Rather, it reflects the current content of FishBase, and the progress with respect to synchronization with the Catalog of Fishes. However, we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in FishBase, to start new work on the family, or to cross-check with other lists.

But we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value. In particular, for published scientific, we suggest then to cite it in the Material and Method section as a useful tool to conduct the research, but again, not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference.

Unless it is explicitly precised, the list is not complete, please search all original names published for the family in the Catalog of Fishes (genera, species), including those with uncertain or unknown status, that are not included in FishBase when they are not attached to a valid species.

This list uses some data from Catalog of Fishes (not shown but used to sort names).

The list ordered as follows:

Please send comments and corrections if you detect errors or missing names.

Show all | Show only accepted name | Show only accepted and original names
Scientifc name Status Senior/Junior synonym Combination
Ctenolucius hujeta (Valenciennes, 1850)
acceptedseniornew
Xiphostoma hujeta Valenciennes, 1850
synonymseniororiginal
Ctenolucius hujeta hujeta (Valenciennes, 1850)
synonymseniornew
Hydrocynus hujeta (Valenciennes, 1850)
synonymseniornew
Luciocharax hujeta (Valenciennes, 1850)
synonymseniornew
Luciocharax insculptus Steindachner, 1878
synonymjuniororiginal
Ctenolucius hujeta insculptus (Steindachner, 1878)
synonymjuniornew
Ctenolucius insculptus (Steindachner, 1878)
synonymjuniornew
Ctenolucius hujeta beani (non Fowler, 1907)
misappliedmisappliednew
Ctenolucius beani (Fowler, 1907)
acceptedseniornew
Belonocharax beani Fowler, 1907
synonymseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
Luciocharax beani (Fowler, 1907)
synonymseniornew
Luciocharax striatus Boulenger, 1911
synonymjuniororiginal
Ctenolucius hujeta (non Valenciennes, 1850)
misappliedmisappliednew
Luciocharax insculptus (non Steindachner, 1878)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Boulengerella lateristriga (Boulenger, 1895)
acceptedseniornew
Xiphostoma lateristriga Boulenger, 1895
synonymseniororiginal
Boulengerella maculatum (non Valenciennes, 1850)
misappliedmisappliednew
Boulengerella lucius (Cuvier, 1816)
acceptedseniornew
Hydrocynus lucius Cuvier, 1816
synonymseniororiginal
Hydrocyon lucius (Cuvier, 1816)
synonymseniornew
Xiphostoma lucius (Cuvier, 1816)
synonymseniornew
! Boulengerella lucia (Cuvier, 1816)
synonymseniornew
! Boulengerella lucium (Cuvier, 1816)
synonymseniornew
Boulengerella cuvieri (Spix & Agassiz, 1829)
acceptedseniornew
Xiphostoma cuvieri Spix & Agassiz, 1829
synonymseniororiginal
Hydrocynus cuvieri (Spix & Agassiz, 1829)
synonymseniornew
! Hydocynus cuvieri (Spix & Agassiz, 1829)
synonymseniornew
! Hydrocinus cuvieri (Spix & Agassiz, 1829)
synonymseniornew
Xiphostoma ocellatum Jardine, 1841
synonymjuniororiginal
Boulengerella ocellata (Jardine, 1841)
synonymjuniornew
Boulengerella ocellatum (Jardine, 1841)
synonymjuniornew
! Xiphystoma ocellatum Jardine, 1841
synonymjuniororiginal
Xiphostoma oseryi Castelnau, 1855
synonymjuniororiginal
Xiphostoma longipinne Steindachner, 1876
synonymjuniororiginal
Boulengerella longipinne (Steindachner, 1876)
synonymjuniornew
Hydrocynus longipinnis (Steindachner, 1876)
synonymjuniornew
Boulengerella lucia (non Cuvier, 1816)
misappliedmisappliednew
Boulengerella lucium (non Cuvier, 1816)
misappliedmisappliednew
Boulengerella lucius (non Cuvier, 1816)
misappliedmisappliednew
Boulengerella lucra (non Cuvier, 1816)
misappliedmisappliedmisapplied
Hydrocinus lucius (non Cuvier, 1816)
misappliedmisappliedmisapplied
Boulengerella maculata (Valenciennes, 1850)
acceptedseniornew
Xiphostoma maculatum Valenciennes, 1850
synonymseniororiginal
Hydrocynus maculatus (Valenciennes, 1850)
synonymseniornew
! Boulengerella maculatum (Valenciennes, 1850)
synonymseniornew
! Xiphostoma maculata Valenciennes, 1850
synonymseniororiginal
Xiphostoma taedo Cope, 1872
synonymjuniororiginal
! Hiphostoma taedo Cope, 1872
synonymjuniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
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