Family Erythrinidae
TRAHIRAS/WOLF FISH
Freshwater
Family Erythrinidae
TRAHIRAS/WOLF FISH
Freshwater
FROM FRANK MAGALLANES
The species is similar to the American Bowfin, Amia calva. The fish is a voracious predator and when things are not to its liking it simply moves out of the water into a better feeding area. If you decide to own a Trahira, be sure you have a tight fitting lid with no opening. These fish are fantastic escape artists.
It is a small group, without
economic importance (except for Giant Trahira, which is becoming rare in the
Guiana). Some are predators which have become adapted to life in small brooks or
ponds, where they can exist without much oxygen, thanks to accessory system
which can absorb it directly from the air. At last one species is capable of
retaining moisture and air for a long time and walking on the ground at night in
the search for a more suitable pond than the one just abandoned.
As regards their anatomy, particularly that of the bones of the head, certain
experts believe that they are exceptional among the Characiformes. They are
probably the most archaic in many respects (though specialized for predation),
having 5 branchiostegal rays, a cylindrical body form with a short anal fin and
large scales, numerous teeth on the palate and a primitive pectoral girdle like
that of the bowfin.
Occurs in diverse habitats from free flowing clear water streams, well up into the valleys, to slow turbid waters, water courses, irrigation and drainage ditches, and ponds on the plains. Rests in vegetation during the day and is active at night. Adults feed on fish; juveniles feed on crustacean and insect larvae, shrimps and other small invertebrates.
During this update, California Academy of Sciences (CAS) added some new species and also many of the old names were moved into marine fishes. Quite an interesting turn of events.
genus Erythrinus
Erythrinus Scopoli 1777
Etymology: Greek, erythros = red
CURRENT SPECIES LIST - 2012
|
Erythrinus erythrinus Bloch & Schneider 1801 Amazon and Orinoco River basins and coastal rivers of northern South America: Argentina, Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuel |
Erythrinus kessleri Steindachner 1877 Brazil |
genus Hoplias
Hoplias Gill 1903
Etymology: Greek, hoplon = weapon
|
David M. Schleser had the following to say about this species: Hoplias caught in Rio Orosa (whitewater), although I have caught it in black and white water habitats ranging from large rivers to intermittent creeks. |
CURRENT VALID SPECIES - 2011
|
Hoplias aimara Valenciennes 1847 Widespread in South America |
Hoplias australis Oyakawa & Mattox 2009 Uruguay River basin: Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay |
Hoplias brasiliensis Spix & Agassiz 1829 Paracuaç R. basin in Bahia State, Brazil |
Hoplias curupira Oyakawa (O. I.) & Mattox (G. M. T). 2009 Rivers of Amazon basin: Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela |
Hoplias intermedius Gunther 1864 São Francisco and Paraná river basinsand tributaries of rio Doce: Brazil |
|
Hoplias lacerdae Miranda Ribeiro 1908 Ribeira de Iguape R. basin in São Paulo and Paraná states, Brazil |
Hoplias malabaricus Bloch 1794 Costa Rica to Argentina in most river systems: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela |
Hoplias microcephalus Agassiz 1829 São Francisco R. basin, Brazil |
Hoplias microlepis Günther 1864 Western slopes from Ecuador to Panama: Colombia, Ecuador and Panama |
Hoplias patana Valenciennes 1847 French Guiana (?) |
|
Hoplias teres Valenciennes 1847 Lake Maracaibo basin, Venezuela |
genus Hoplerythrinus
Hoplerythrinus Gill 1896
Etymology; Greek, hoplon = weapon + Greek, erythros = red
|
David M. Schleser had this to say: Hoplerythrinus caught in a blackwater creek flowing into Rio Orosa, Peru. I have only caught this species in blackwater habitats with lots of submerged cover. Both Erythrinus and Hoplerythrinus described below are very close to each other. The samples I have kept are easy to distinguish by their coloration and markings when young. |
CURRENT VALID SPECIES - 2011
|
Hoplerythrinus cinereus Gill 1858 Trinidad and Tobago Island |
Hoplerythrinus gronovii Valenciennes 1847 French Guiana (?) |
Spix & Agassiz 1829 Amazon, Paraná, Orinoco, São Francisco, and Magdalena R. basins and coastal rivers of n. South America and Panama: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela |
REFERENCES
Gill, T. N. 1903 (6 July) Note on the fish genera named Macrodon. Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus. v. 26 (no. 1349): 1015-1016.
Géry, J. 1977 Characoids of the world. T. F. H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. Characoids World: 1-672.
Gill, T. N. 1896 (23 Apr.) The differential characters of characinoid and erythrinoid fishes. Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus. v. 18 (no. 1056): 205-209.
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UPDATED: 12/27/2011
