Teleostei (teleosts) >
Characiformes (Characins) >
Lebiasinidae (Pencilfishes) > Pyrrhulininae
Etymology: Pyrrhulina: Greek, pyrrhos = red, with the colour of the fire (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Zarske & Géry.
Issue
This has been a popular aquarium fish for over 50 years but was just given a name in 1997. P. zigzag is a relatively small species with a broad, almost black zigzag band across the body. Small specimens can be confused with Copella nigrofasciata but in C. nigrofasciata the black band is straight and there is a row of red spots along its dorsal border. Eschmeyer, 1998:2243 [listed].
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
South America: upper Amazon River basin.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 37104)
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Weitzman, M. and S.H. Weitzman, 2003. Lebiasinidae (Pencil fishes). p. 241-251. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil. (Ref. 37104)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of potential interest
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