Inhabits streams and rivers without strong currents (Ref. 26543) and lentic areas (Ref. 1129). Vivacious, eats small fish and will bite pieces of meat (Ref. 5518). Sometimes used as table fish; flesh of good flavor but with lots of fish bones.

North, Central and South America: most freshwater basins from Mexico to Argentina.

Most freshwater basins from Mexico to Argentina: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 2

Maximum size: 100 mm NG

16.8 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 79585)); max. published weight: 69.7 g (Ref. 79585)

One maxillary tooth (Ref. 46822).

MLP 7115 , 1 ex., 47.8 mm, Argentina , Santa Fe , RíoParaná basin, San José del Rincón . AI 111 , 2 ex., 57.8-62.6 mm, Argentina , Buenos Aires , Rio de la Plata in Punta Lara . MLP 8647 , 5 ex. 34.0-45.8 mm, Argentina , Santiago del Estero , Rio Salado .

Type for Astyanax fasciatus
Catalog Number: USNM 8225
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Locality: Napo + Maronon, Napo Province, Ecuador, South America

benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater

Depth range based on 1 specimen in 1 taxon.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0.5 - 0.5
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Potamodromous. Migrating within streams, migratory in rivers, e.g. Saliminus, Moxostoma, Labeo. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

The epigean form defend small territories of ten to twenty centimeters diameter depending on body size. Tools for defence include fin-spreading, snake-swimming and ramming (Ref. 52944).

Rhabdochona Infestation 8. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Procamallanus Infection 28. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Procamallanus Infection 25. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Procamallanus Infection 10. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Paraseuratum Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Capillostrongyloides Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Lateral line system acts as sonar: fish
 

Neuromasts of the lateral line system of fish help them navigate by sensing their own waves, reflected back from surrounding objects, which are deflected by minute sensory cells embedded in jelly.

   
  "The lateral line system is a kind of underwater sonar and is very similar to the sonar-based navigation system employed by bats. But instead of listening to ultrasonic squeaks bouncing back from solid objects, the fish is able to feel the movement of water reflected back against its body from objects around it. The lateral line system consists of a horizontal groove running along each flank and onto the head, where it splits into three shorter grooves. Within each groove is a line of tiny sense organs known as neuromasts. A neuromast consists of several minute sensory cells whose hairs are embedded together within a triangular tongue of jelly called a cupula. As a fish swims, its movements create ripples or waves in the water that travel outward until they make contact with an object in the fish's surroundings, whereupon they bounce back toward the fish. The returning vibrations are deflected by the neuromasts' cupulae, thereby stimulating nerve connections to the brain, which give the fish sophisticated information about its surroundings. Neuromasts also cover the entire surface of a fish's skin, and can serve as normal touch receptors, responding to physical contact with objects as well as vibrations." (Shuker 2001: 34)
  Learn more about this functional adaptation.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 131
Species With Barcodes: 1

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


There are 11 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.


Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 11
Specimens with Barcodes: 68
Species With Barcodes: 1

Not Evaluated

fisheries: minor commercial