| Family: |
Hypopomidae (Bluntnose knifefishes) |
| Max. size: |
20.3 cm TL (male/unsexed); 15.7 cm TL (female) |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; freshwater; pH range: 6.5 |
| Distribution: |
South America: Ecuador. |
| Diagnosis: |
Anal soft rays: 180-229. Brachyhypopomus palenque is distinguished from other species of the genus Brachyhypopomus by the following combination of characters: caudal filament length 7.4-14.0% of length to end of anal fin (vs. 14.1-83.1% in B. alberti, B. batesi, B. benjamini, B. brevirostris, B. bullocki, B. cunia, B. draco, B. gauderio, B. hamiltoni, B. hendersoni, B. janeiroensis, B. jureiae, B. menezesi, B. pinnicaudatus, B. provenzanoi, B. sullivani, and B. walteri); pale stripe along middorsal region absent (vs. prominent pale uninterrupted middorsal stripe from occipital region to base of caudal filament present in B. arrayae, B. beebei, and B. belindae); mouth width 25.1-37.8% HL (vs. 15.9-23.2% in B. bennetti and B. flavipomus); accessory electric organ over the opercular region absent (vs. present in B. bombilla and B. regani); 19-22 precaudal vertebrae (vs. 24-26 in B. verdii); continuous or discontinuous dark vertical or diagonally oriented bars or saddles on body surface dorsal to lateral line absent (vs. present in B. diazi and B. palenque) (Ref. 116763). |
| Biology: |
Inhabits small streams and rivers to an altitude of ca. 650 m. Collected from leaf litter or submerged root mats, usually up against or under logs or large rocks. Omnivorous. Feeds on aquatic invertebrates, predominantly larval Chironomidae and Coleoptera in the type locality (Ref. 116763). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.