Superfamily Hemiodontoidea Higher classification Characiformes | Phylum Chordata Suborder Characoidei Scientific name Hemiodontidae Rank Family | |
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Similar Hemiodus, Curimatidae, Characiformes, Cynodontidae, Crenuchidae |
The Hemidontidae are a small family of freshwater characins found in northern South America, south to the ParanĂ¡-Paraguay Basin. The larger species are popular food fish.
Hemiodontids have a streamlined body shape; many are fast-swimming, and are able to leap out of the water to escape predators. The adults of all species except Micromischodus sugillatus have no teeth on their lower jaws. Most species have a round spot on the side of the midbody and a stripe along the lower lobe of the caudal fin. The largest hemiodontids are around 50 centimetres (20 in) in length.
Genera
The family has around 29 known species, as well as several undescribed species, in five genera:
References
Hemiodontidae Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA