Aldemaro Romero

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Up ] Astyanax fasciatus ] Stygichthys typhlops ]

 

Family: Characidae

 

This is a highly diversified (ca. 900 species) of freshwater fishes from America and Africa (Nelson 1994).  They show no apparent morphological and/or behavioral preadaptation to the hypogean environment.  It is somewhat surprising that more representatives of this family have not been found in caves given its ample distribution and high diversity.  Most Characids are completely covered with cycloid scales. There are at least two species of troglomorphic characids.

 
  1. Astyanax fasciatus species complex (Cuvier, 1819)
2. Stygichthys typhlops Brittan & Böhlke, 1965