Mimagoniates
| Mimagoniates | |
|---|---|
| Blue tetra (Mimagoniates microlepis) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Stevardiidae |
| Subfamily: | Glandulocaudinae |
| Genus: | Mimagoniates Regan, 1907 |
| Type species | |
| Mimagoniates barberi Regan, 1907
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Mimagoniates is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Stevardiidae. This species is found in rivers and streams in southeastern, southern and central-western Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and Paraguay.[2][3] The individual species generally have relatively small ranges. Two species, M. lateralis and M. sylvicola, are considered threatened by Brazil's Ministry of the Environment.[4]
Commonly known as croaking tetra or chirping tetra because they can produce sounds,[5] some of these fish were historically included in Glandulocauda, and, together with Lophiobrycon, they form the tribe Glandulocaudini.[3] Mimagoniates have a supplementary breathing organ located above the gills which makes a faint chirping sound when these fish come to the surface to gulp air. It also plays a role in courtship, as the male chases and hovers near the female while taking gulps of air and expelling it to make a rhythmic noise.[5] Croaking behavior may have evolved from a behavior called "surface nipping", which occurs when the fish is searching for food. This gulping of air has no useful respiratory function.[6]
They are small fish, up to 3–6.1 cm (1.2–2.4 in) in standard length, depending on the species.[2]
Species
Mimagoniates contaisn the following species:[7]
- Mimagoniates barberi Regan, 1907
- Mimagoniates inequalis (C. H. Eigenmann, 1911) (Croaking tetra)
- Mimagoniates lateralis (Nichols, 1913)
- Mimagoniates microlepis (Steindachner, 1877) (Blue tetra)
- Mimagoniates pulcher Menezes & Weitzman, 2009
- Mimagoniates rheocharis Menezes & Weitzman, 1990
- Mimagoniates sylvicola Menezes & Weitzman, 1990
References
- ^ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Glandulocaudinae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Mimagoniates". FishBase. January 2016 version.
- ^ a b Thomaz, A.T., Arcila, D., Ortí, G. & Malabarba, L.R. (2015): Molecular phylogeny of the subfamily Stevardiinae Gill, 1858 (Characiformes: Characidae): classification and the evolution of reproductive traits. BMC Evolutionary Biology, (2015) 15: 146.
- ^ ICMBio (Ministry of the Environment, Brazil): Portaria MMA nº 445, de 17 de dezembro de 2014. Lista de Especies Ameaçadas - Saiba Mais. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
- ^ a b Axelrod, Herbert Richard (1996): Exotic Tropical Fishes. T.F.H. Publications. ISBN 0-87666-543-1
- ^ Nelson, Keith (1964): The Evolution of a Pattern of Sound Production Associated with Courtship in the Characid Fish, Glandulocauda inequalis. Evolution 18(4): 526–540.doi:10.2307/2406207
- ^ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Mimagoniates". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 3 September 2025.