Brycon
Encyclopedia
Brycon is a genus of fish
from the family Characidae
. Despite being unrelated to true trout
, they are sometimes called South American trout. They reach a maximum length of 12–80 cm (4.7–31.5 in) depending on the exact species involved, and the largest are among the largest species in the Characidae family. They are found widely in freshwater habitats in the Neotropics, ranging from southern Mexico
to northern Argentina
. Some species play a role in seed dispersal
, and are able to jump out of the water to "pluck" low-hanging seeds directly from trees.
recognize the following species in the genus:
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
from the family Characidae
Characidae
The Characidae, characids or characins are a family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish, belonging to the order Characiformes. The name "characins" is the historical one, but scientists today tend to prefer "characids" to reflect their status as a by and large monophyletic group at family...
. Despite being unrelated to true trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
, they are sometimes called South American trout. They reach a maximum length of 12–80 cm (4.7–31.5 in) depending on the exact species involved, and the largest are among the largest species in the Characidae family. They are found widely in freshwater habitats in the Neotropics, ranging from southern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Some species play a role in seed dispersal
Seed dispersal
Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and consequently rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their propagules, including both abiotic and biotic vectors. Seeds can be dispersed away from the parent plant...
, and are able to jump out of the water to "pluck" low-hanging seeds directly from trees.
Species
FishBaseFishBase
FishBase is a comprehensive database of information about fish species . It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web...
recognize the following species in the genus:
- Brycon alburnus (Günther, 1860)
- Brycon amazonicus (SpixJohann Baptist von SpixDr. Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix was a German naturalist.Spix was born in Höchstadt, Middle Franconia, as the seventh of eleven children. His boyhood home is the site of the Spix Museum , opened to the public in 2004...
& AgassizLouis AgassizJean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz was a Swiss paleontologist, glaciologist, geologist and a prominent innovator in the study of the Earth's natural history. He grew up in Switzerland and became a professor of natural history at University of Neuchâtel...
, 1829) (matrinxa) - Brycon argenteus MeekSeth Eugene MeekSeth Eugene Meek was an American ichthyologist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. He was the first compiler of a book on Mexican freshwater fishes. Together with his assistant, Samuel F. Hildebrand, he produced the first book on the freshwater fishes of Panama.He often collaborated...
& Hildebrand, 1913 - Brycon atrocaudatus (Kner, 1863)
- Brycon behreae Hildebrand, 1938
- Brycon bicolor PellegrinJacques PellegrinJacques Pellegrin was a French zoologist.Pellegrin was born in Paris, and studied natural history. In 1894 he became assistant chairman of zoology at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, replacing Léon Vaillant .He got his doctorates in medicine and science...
, 1909 - Brycon cephalus (Günther, 1869)
- Brycon chagrensis (Kner, 1863)
- Brycon coquenani SteindachnerFranz SteindachnerFranz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.- Work and career :Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
, 1915 - Brycon coxeyi FowlerHenry Weed FowlerHenry Weed Fowler was an American zoologist born in Holmesburg, Pennsylvania.He studied at Stanford University under David Starr Jordan...
, 1943 - Brycon dentex Günther, 1860
- Brycon devillei (Castelnau, 1855)
- Brycon falcatus J. P. MüllerJohannes Peter MüllerJohannes Peter Müller , was a German physiologist, comparative anatomist, and ichthyologist not only known for his discoveries but also for his ability to synthesize knowledge.-Early years and education:...
& TroschelFranz Hermann TroschelFranz Hermann Troschel was a German zoologist who was born in Spandau. He studied mathematics and natural history at the University of Berlin, and beginning in 1840 was an assistant to Martin Lichtenstein at the Humboldt Museum of Natural History in Berlin...
, 1844 - Brycon ferox SteindachnerFranz SteindachnerFranz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.- Work and career :Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
, 1877 - Brycon fowleri Dahl, 1955
- Brycon gouldingi F. C. T. Lima, 2004
- Brycon guatemalensis Regan, 1908 (machaca)
- Brycon henni C. H. EigenmannCarl H. EigenmannCarl H. Eigenmann was an ichthyologist who, along with his wife Rosa Smith Eigenmann, described many of the fishes of North America and South America for the first time....
, 1913 - Brycon hilarii (ValenciennesAchille ValenciennesAchille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1850) - Brycon insignis SteindachnerFranz SteindachnerFranz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.- Work and career :Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
, 1877 (Tietê tetra) - Brycon labiatus SteindachnerFranz SteindachnerFranz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.- Work and career :Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
, 1879 - Brycon medemi Dahl, 1960
- Brycon meeki C. H. EigenmannCarl H. EigenmannCarl H. Eigenmann was an ichthyologist who, along with his wife Rosa Smith Eigenmann, described many of the fishes of North America and South America for the first time....
& Hildebrand, 1918 - Brycon melanopterus (CopeEdward Drinker CopeEdward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of nineteen...
, 1872) - Brycon moorei SteindachnerFranz SteindachnerFranz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.- Work and career :Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
, 1878 (dorada) - Brycon nattereri Günther, 1864
- Brycon obscurus Hildebrand, 1938
- Brycon oligolepis Regan, 1913
- Brycon opalinus (G. CuvierGeorges CuvierGeorges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
, 1819) - Brycon orbignyanus (ValenciennesAchille ValenciennesAchille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1850) - Brycon orthotaenia Günther, 1864
- Brycon pesu J. P. MüllerJohannes Peter MüllerJohannes Peter Müller , was a German physiologist, comparative anatomist, and ichthyologist not only known for his discoveries but also for his ability to synthesize knowledge.-Early years and education:...
& TroschelFranz Hermann TroschelFranz Hermann Troschel was a German zoologist who was born in Spandau. He studied mathematics and natural history at the University of Berlin, and beginning in 1840 was an assistant to Martin Lichtenstein at the Humboldt Museum of Natural History in Berlin...
, 1845 (Mourning tetra) - Brycon petrosus MeekSeth Eugene MeekSeth Eugene Meek was an American ichthyologist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. He was the first compiler of a book on Mexican freshwater fishes. Together with his assistant, Samuel F. Hildebrand, he produced the first book on the freshwater fishes of Panama.He often collaborated...
& Hildebrand, 1913 - Brycon polylepis Moscó Morales, 1988
- Brycon posadae FowlerHenry Weed FowlerHenry Weed Fowler was an American zoologist born in Holmesburg, Pennsylvania.He studied at Stanford University under David Starr Jordan...
, 1945 - Brycon rubricauda SteindachnerFranz SteindachnerFranz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.- Work and career :Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
, 1879 - Brycon sinuensis Dahl, 1955
- Brycon stolzmanni SteindachnerFranz SteindachnerFranz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.- Work and career :Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
, 1879 - Brycon striatulus (Kner, 1863)
- Brycon unicolor Moscó Morales, 1988
- Brycon vermelha F. C. T. Lima & Castro, 2000
- Brycon whitei MyersGeorge S. MyersDr. George Sprague Myers spent most of his career at Stanford University, where he was one of the leading American ichthyologists of the twentieth century. He served as the editor of Stanford Ichthyological Bulletin as well as president of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists...
& Weitzman, 1960