Erythrinus erythrinus | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Characiformes |
Family: | Erythrinidae |
Genus: | Erythrinus |
Species: | E. erythrinus
|
Binomial name | |
Erythrinus erythrinus | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Erythrinus erythrinus, the red wolf fish, is a relatively small species of trahira (family Erythrinidae) from freshwater habitats in South America. [2]
E. erythrinus is a South American freshwater fish that is native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins, as well as rivers in the Guianas. [2] The species is also reported as native to the Paraná— Paraguay basin, including the Pantanal, [3] [4] but the population in the lower Paraná basin and Iguazu basin may be an undescribed species. [5] E. erythrinus has been introduced to the upper Paraná basin where not native. [6] It mainly lives in creeks and marshes where the water has a pH of 5.6–7.8. [2]
E. erythrinus can reach a maximum standard length of 20 cm (7.9 in), although other reports suggest it can reach about 25 cm (10 in). [2]
It feeds primarily on small fish, insects, and benthic crustaceans. [7] Juveniles are aggressive mimics of female aplocheilid killifish, notably Laimosemion agilae, and they use this to catch male killifish that seek a mate. [8]
E. erythrinus is not of major interest to fisheries, but is sometimes used as a bait fish [5] and seen in the aquarium fish trade. [2]
It was described by Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Schneider in 1801, [9] originally under the lizardfish genus Synodus. The species was first placed in Erythrinus in 1854 by Gray (under the name Erythrinus salmoneus, a junior synonym of Erythrinus erythrinus), and this treatment has been recognized by recent authorities such as Osvaldo Takeshi Oyakawa in 2003. [10]