Cyprinidae: Aphyocharax Anisitsi Arnoldichthys

Friday 20 July 2012

Aphyocharax Anisitsi Arnoldichthys

Tetras traditionally were classified within the family Characidae (characins), and in particularly the subfamilies Tetragonopterinae (South American tetras) and Alestiinae (African tetras). However, this family has undergone much taxonomic revision and many authorities have moved the African tetras to the family level, called Alestiidae (Nelson 2006).

Both Characidae and Alestiidae belong to the order Characiformes. Characiformes are characterized by well developed teeth (most are carnivores) and the presence of a pelvic fin (with five to twelve rays) and normally an adipose fin, and a body that is almost always scaled (Nelson 1994).

Characidae is a large and diverse family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish, with members found in Central and South America, southern North America, and Africa, and include such varied forms as the piranhas,