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Beloniformes (Needle fishes) >
Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Etymology: Potamorrhaphis: Greek, potamos = river + Greek, rhaphis = needle (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Οικολογία
; Γλυκού νερού Πελαγικό(ά); εύρος βάθους 0 - ? m. Tropical; 23°C - 26°C (Ref. 2059)
South America: Amazon and Orinoco River basins, and the Guianas.
Μέγεθος / Βάρος / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 29.1 cm TL αρσενικό/απροσδιόριστο; (Ref. 40653); common length : 12.3 cm OT αρσενικό/απροσδιόριστο; (Ref. 10994)
Short description
Κλείδες προσδιορισμού | Μορφολογία | Μορφομετρία
Ραχιαίες άκανθες (συνολικά) : 0; Μαλακές ραχιαίες ακτίνες (συνολικά) : 29 - 36; Εδρικές άκανθες: 0; Μαλακές εδρικές ακτίνες: 25 - 32; Σπόνδυλοι: 68 - 78. Predorsal scales 85-135, mean 110.3 (Ref. 10994, Table 7).
Forms schools at the surface. Prefers to inhabit marshes, small slow-moving creeks or even in main river beds, in the slowest parts of meandering streams next to banks (Ref. 35237). Voracious carnivore which appears to have a primarily nocturnal habit (Ref. 27188). During reproduction, the male positions itself beside the female or crosswise in front of her. Sometimes the male touches the female with his side, pushing her aside in an oblique position, with their heads oriented downwards. The couple settles next to a bush where the female spawns her eggs (15 to 40). Eggs adhere to plants by means of sticky filaments which are 2 to 3 mm long. At 27-30°C, incubation lasts for 9 to 10 days. Larvae are pelagic and carnivorous (Ref. 35237). Maximum length 40 cm TL in Keith et al., 2000 (Ref. 35237).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Γεννητική Ωρίμανση | Αναπαραγωγή | Γεννοβολία | Αβγά | Γονιμότητα | Προνύμφες
The eggs are attached to underwater vegetation. At 27-30 deg. Celsius the larvae hatch after 9 - 10 days. The larvae are pelagic carnivores.
Collette, B.B., 1982. South American freshwater needlefishes of the genus Potamorrhaphis (Beloniformes: Belonidae). Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 95(4):714-747. (Ref. 10994)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Εργαλεία
Special reports
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Διαδικτυακές πηγές
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5625 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00126 (0.00057 - 0.00279), b=3.11 (2.93 - 3.29), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Τροφικό Επίπεδο (Ref.
69278): 3.9 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Ελαστικότητα (Ref.
120179): Υψηλό, ελάχιστος χρόνος για διπλασιασμό πληθυσμού < 15 μήνες (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (19 of 100).