Megaleporinus elongatus
| Megaleporinus elongatus | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Anostomidae |
| Genus: | Megaleporinus |
| Species: | M. elongatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Megaleporinus elongatus (Valenciennes, 1850)
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| Synonyms[2] | |
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Megaleporinus elongatus is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Anostomidae, the toothed headstanders. This fish is found in Minas Gerais and Bahia states of Brazil.
Taxonomy
Megaleporinus elongatus was first formally described as Leporinus elongatus in 1850 by the French zoologist Achille Valenciennes with its type locality given as the Rio São Francisco, an error, and the Río de la Plata at Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is thought that the actual type locality is the Jequitinhonha River in Brazil, a lectotype being designated in 1987.[2] In 2017 the new genus Megaleporinus was proposed by J. L. Ramírez, J. L. O. Birindelli and P. M. Galetti Jr. with Curimatus obtusidens designated as its type species,[3] L. elongatus is closely related to this taxon, so much that it has been regarded as a subspecies of it,[2] and so was moved into this new genus.[3] The genus Megaleporinus is classified within the subfamily Leporininae of the toothed headstander family, Anostomidae.[4] Anostomidae is classified in the suborder Characoidei of the order Characiformes, the characins and related fishes.[5]
Etymology
Megaleporinus elongatus is classified within the gneus Megaleporinus, this name prefixes the genus name Leporinus with mega-, referring to the larger size of these fishes compared to the species formerly regarded as congeners in Leporinus. The specific name, elongatus, means "prolonged", a reference to the more elongated body with a relatively longer head and snout in comparison to M. pachyurus.[6]
Description
Megaleporinus elongatus has 11 or 12 soft rays in its dorsal fin and 10 or 11 in its anal fin. There are three teeth on each premaxilla and on the dentary with 12 scale rows around the caudal peduncle. This species has 36 or 27 pored scales in the lateral line, which has a number of dark blotches along its length. It has an elongated, laterally compressed boby with a maximum total length of 50 cm (20 in).[7]
Distribution
Megaleporinus elongatus is endemic to Brazil where it occurs in the drainages of the Jequitinhonha and Pardo rivers, in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia.[1]
References
- ^ a b Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) (2022). "Megaleporinus elongatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022: e.T139548745A147391155. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T139548745A147391155.pt. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ a b c Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Megaleporinus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ a b Jorge L. Ramirez; José L.O. Birindelli; Pedro M. Galetti (2017). "A new genus of Anostomidae (Ostariophysi: Characiformes): Diversity, phylogeny and biogeography based on cytogenetic, molecular and morphological data". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 107: 308–323. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2016.11.012.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Leporininae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Richard van der Laan; William N. Eschmeyer; Ronald Fricke. "Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes Classification". Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf (4 May 2025). "Family ANOSTOMIDAE Günther 1864 (Toothed Headstanders)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Megaleporinus elongatus". FishBase. April 2025 version.