Petenia
Encyclopedia
Petenia is a monotypic
cichlid
genus
. The single species, Petenia splendida, is a large (50 cm) predatory fish that occurs in Mexico
, Guatemala
and Belize
.
FishBase name: Bay snook
Max. size: 50.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 7335)
Environment: demersal; freshwater
; pH
range: 7.0 – 7.5; dH
range: 15
Climate: tropical; 26 – 30°C
Importance: fisheries: commercial; price category: not marketed/unknown
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)
Vulnerability: Moderate to high vulnerability (48.42). (Ref. 59153)
Distribution: Central America
: Atlantic slope of Grijalva River
to Usumacinta River
, and Belize
.
Biology: Inhabits lakes and lower river valleys. Prefers lower and middle reaches of rivers in the slower moving waters with soft substrate
of sand
and mud
. Feeds on fish
.
Red List Status: Not Evaluated (Ref. 57073)
Dangerous: harmless
Coordinator: Sven O. Kullander
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
cichlid
Cichlid
Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. The single species, Petenia splendida, is a large (50 cm) predatory fish that occurs in 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...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
.
FishBase name: Bay snook
Snook
Snook or Snoek may refer to:* Fish in the family** Centropomidae especially the common snook.** Gempylidae ** Percidae ** Scombridae , subfamily: Scombrinae** Sphyraenidae...
Max. size: 50.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 7335)
Environment: demersal; freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
; pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
range: 7.0 – 7.5; dH
DH
-Flying:* de Havilland, a former UK aircraft manufacturer* Decision height, an element of aviational instrument approach* Independence Air's IATA code-Health:* Department of Health , a branch of government...
range: 15
Climate: tropical; 26 – 30°C
Importance: fisheries: commercial; price category: not marketed/unknown
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)
Vulnerability: Moderate to high vulnerability (48.42). (Ref. 59153)
Distribution: Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
: Atlantic slope of Grijalva River
Grijalva River
Grijalva River, formerly known as Tabasco River. is a 480 km long river in southeastern Mexico. It is named after Juan de Grijalva who visited the area in 1518. The river rises in Chiapas highlands and flows from Chiapas to the state of Tabasco through the Sumidero Canyon into the Bay of...
to Usumacinta River
Usumacinta River
The Usumacinta River is a river in southeastern Mexico and northwestern Guatemala. It is formed by the junction of the Pasión River, which arises in the Sierra de Santa Cruz and the Salinas River, also known as the Chixoy, or the Negro, which descends from the Sierra Madre de Guatemala...
, and Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
.
Biology: Inhabits lakes and lower river valleys. Prefers lower and middle reaches of rivers in the slower moving waters with soft substrate
Substrate (marine biology)
Stream substrate is the material that rests at the bottom of a stream. There are several classification guides. One is:*Mud – silt and clay.*Sand – Particles between 0.06 and 2 mm in diameter.*Granule – Between 2 and 4 mm in diameter....
of sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
and mud
Mud
Mud is a mixture of water and some combination of soil, silt, and clay. Ancient mud deposits harden over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone . When geological deposits of mud are formed in estuaries the resultant layers are termed bay muds...
. Feeds on fish
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...
.
Red List Status: Not Evaluated (Ref. 57073)
Dangerous: harmless
Coordinator: Sven O. Kullander
Sven O. Kullander
Sven Oscar Kullander is a Swedish biologist specialised in ichthyology.He primarily researches cichlids – notably the genus Apistogramma and the Cichlasoma-complex – and other tropical fresh water fishes....