Results for “ichthyology”

This species isn't especially popular in the aquarium trade but is undoubtedly interesting despite its lack of colour. In addition to its survival ability in the absence of water it's also capable of producing audible sounds though the purpose of these has not been fully-studied. Naturally-occurring xanthic and albino forms have also been recorded. There is considerable confusion as to the taxonomic status of the two species currently occupying this genus, with ichthyologists widely...

This species is not actually a piranha in ichthyologic terms, being monotypic and therefore unique. It was so named due to its general resemblance to true piranha, and the fact that it is quite closely related to Pygocentrus species. Mento means "chin", referring to the protruding jaw of the fish. This jaw structure, along with the adapted teeth, is used in its natural feeding behaviour. It has been observed to swim at great speed into a selected target, biting hard as it collides w...

P. deissneri was the only recognised member of the genus for almost a century following its description in 1859. As a result its name has and continues to be widely misapplied in both aquarium and ichthyological literature although it's probably always been very rare in the hobby, while a number of fishes previously identified under the name from other pa...

There are only three species in the genus Thayeria, of which T. ifati is the least often seen in the hobby. This is a shame as it's a very pretty little fish. The holotype was collected from the upper Rio Maroni, close to the settlement of Gaa Kabaon on the French Guiana/Suriname border by the famous ichthyologist Jacques Géry in 1957. Géry also described the species in 1959. Of its congeners, it was the type species T. obliqua that was originally given the common name of &quo...