Mimagoniates

Mimagoniates
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Characidae
Subfamily: Stevardiinae
Genus: Mimagoniates
Regan, 1907
Synonyms

Mimagoniates is a genus of characid fish from rivers and streams in southeastern, southern and central-western Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and Paraguay.[1][2] The individual species generally have relatively small ranges and two, M. lateralis and M. sylvicola, are considered threatened by Brazil's Ministry of the Environment.[3]

Commonly known as croaking tetra or chirping tetra because they can produce sounds,[4] some of these fish were historically included in Glandulocauda and together with Lophiobrycon they form the tribe Glandulocaudini.[2] Mimagoniates have a supplementary breathing organ located above the gills which makes a faint chirping sound when these fish come to the surface to gulp air. It also plays a role in courtship as the male chases and hovers near the female while taking gulps of air and expelling it to make a rhythmic noise.[4] Croaking behavior may have evolved from a behavior called "surface nipping", which occurs when the fish is searching for food. This gulping of air has no useful respiratory function.[5] They are small fish, up to 3–6.1 cm (1.2–2.4 in) in standard length depending on the exact species.[1]

Species

There are currently 7 recognized species in this genus:[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Mimagoniates". FishBase. January 2016 version.
  2. ^ a b c Thomaz, A.T., Arcila, D., Ortí, G. & Malabarba, L.R. (2015): Molecular phylogeny of the subfamily Stevardiinae Gill, 1858 (Characiformes: Characidae): classification and the evolution of reproductive traits. BMC Evolutionary Biology, (2015) 15: 146.
  3. ^ ICMBio (Ministry of the Environment, Brazil): Portaria MMA nº 445, de 17 de dezembro de 2014. Lista de Especies Ameaçadas - Saiba Mais. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  4. ^ a b Axelrod, Herbert Richard (1996): Exotic Tropical Fishes. T.F.H. Publications. ISBN 0-87666-543-1
  5. ^ Nelson, Keith (1964): The Evolution of a Pattern of Sound Production Associated with Courtship in the Characid Fish, Glandulocauda inequalis. Evolution 18(4): 526–540.doi:10.2307/2406207