Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Characiformes (Characins) >
Characidae (Characins; tetras) > Stethaprioninae
Etymology: pirauba: Name came from the Tupi language, 'pira' for fish and 'aúba' for false, referring to the apparent mimicry of the new species with Jupiaba; noun in apposition.
Eponymy: Dr William J Moenkhaus (1871–1947) was an American geneticist and ichthyologist who became Professor of Physiology at Indiana University Medical School (1904–1941), where he was Eigenmann’s colleague. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical
South America: Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 9.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 83482)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 9; Anal soft rays: 22 - 26. This species is distinguished from all its congeners, except Moenkhausia moisae by having more scales in lateral series 43-47 (vs. 23-41); it differs from M. moisae mainly by its colour pattern, which consists of one humeral blotch (vs. two), a moderately sized dark midlateral stripe (vs. narrow dark midlateral line), asymmetrical caudal blotch, continuous anteriorly with midlateral stripe and extending posteriorly to margins of four or five middle caudal-fin rays, although less pigmented on this posterior portion (vs. conspicuous, regularly rounded and symmetrical dark blotch, restricted to end of caudal peduncle and base of caudal fin, not continuous with a midlateral line and not extending to the entire length of median caudal-fin rays); scales along mid-dorsal line between tip of supraoccipital process and origin of dorsal fin forming a regular series (vs. predorsal line of scales irregular, not forming a median series) (Ref. 83482).
Collected in clear-water creeks and small tributaries of larger rivers, such as the Rio Culuene, Rio Curuá and Rio Teles Pires. Usually found in shadowed pools between rapids with well-preserved riparian vegetation. Stomachs of 5 specimens from Tapajós and Xingu basins had a predominance of allochthonous items, adults of terrestrial insects (Coleoptera, Curculionidae; Hymenoptera, Formicidae; Diptera), insect aquatic larvae (Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera; Diptera, Chironomidae), fish remains (Characiformes) and plant fragments (Ref. 83482).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Zanata, A.M., J.L.O. Birindelli and C.R. Moreira, 2010. New species of Moenkhausia Eigenmann (Characiformes: Characidae) from Rio Xingu and Rio Tapaj´os basins, Brazil, with comments on a putative case of polymorphic Batesian mimicry. J. Fish Bio. 75(10):2615-2628. (Ref. 83482)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01230 (0.00522 - 0.02900), b=3.08 (2.91 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
