Ichthyoelephas

Ichthyoelephas
Ichthyoelephas longirostris
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Prochilodontidae
Genus:
Posada, 1909[1]
Type species
Ichthyoelephas patalo, (a synonym of Ichthyoelephas longirostris)
Posada, 1909[1]

Ichthyoelephas is a genus of South American freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Prochilodontidae, the bocachicos or flannel-mouthed characiformes.[2]

There are two species in the genus: I. humeralis reaches a length of at least 40 cm (1.3 ft) and is found in the Santiago and Guayas river basins in Ecuador,[3] and I. longirostris reaches a length of 80 cm (2.6 ft) and is found in the Cauca–Magdalena river basin in Colombia.[4]

They feed on algae and detritus that are taken off rocks with their fleshy lips.[5][6] They are commercially important food fish.[5][6]

Species

There are two species:[7]

References

  1. ^ a b Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Prochilodontidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  2. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Ichthyoelephas". FishBase. October 2017 version.
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Ichthyoelephas humeralis". FishBase. October 2017 version.
  4. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Ichthyoelephas longirostris". FishBase. October 2017 version.
  5. ^ a b Jimenez-Segura, L.; Alonso, J. C. & Mojica, J. (2016). "Ichthyoelephas longirostris". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. IUCN: e.T49830164A61473798. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T49830164A61473798.en. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  6. ^ a b Laaz, E.; W. Aguirre (19 August 2017). "Prochilodontidae - Ichthyoelephas humeralis". The Freshwater Fishes of Western Ecuador. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  7. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Ichthyoelephas". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 3 August 2025.


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