Sternflecksalmler

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Sternflecksalmler
Pristella maxillaris.jpg

Sternflecksalmler ( Pristella maxillaris )

Systematics
Otophysa
Order : Tetras (Characiformes)
Family : True tetras (Characidae)
Subfamily : Stethaprioninae
Genre : Pristella
Type : Sternflecksalmler
Scientific name
Pristella maxillary
( Ulrey , 1894)

The pristella maxillaris ( Pristella maxillary , Greek pristis "saw") or water Goldfinch is a South American tetra species and was until September 2019 the only member of the genus Pristella . It is kept as an ornamental fish in aquariums because of its attractive coloring and its uncomplicated requirements for keeping conditions .

distribution and habitat

The distribution area of ​​the Sternflecksalmler stretches between the lower Amazon and the Orinoco . The freshwater fish mainly lives in smaller, standing or slowly flowing waters in northern South America. Relatively warm water with temperatures between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius and dense vegetation are preferred.

Appearance

The species name refers to the complete dentition of the maxillary , the premaxillary also has a number of irregular, three-pointed teeth. Female starfish tetra reach a total length of about 4.5 centimeters, the males remain somewhat smaller with a maximum of 3.5 centimeters. The laterally strongly flattened body is translucent yellowish-green in color and shines silvery when exposed to light. A noticeable shoulder mark is deep black in color. The dorsal, anal and pelvic fins have a black spot, which is delimited lemon yellow to the body and white to the tip of the fin. The caudal fin is reddish in clearly colored animals.

The sexes can be distinguished by the somewhat slimmer physique and the lack of or indistinct drawing of the anal and pelvic fins of the males.

Number of rays : dorsal 11, anal 20–24

Way of life

The starfish tetra, which lives in swarms, is peaceful and feeds mainly on small invertebrates. As free spawners , the animals do not take care of the brood. Mating takes place in the early hours of the morning. The female releases 300 to 400 small, transparent eggs, and occasionally up to 800 eggs are possible. The larvae hatch 24 to 30 hours after oviposition. After another three to four days they swim freely.

Systematics

The species was first scientifically described in 1894 by the American biologist Albert B. Ulrey under the name Aphyocarax maxillaris . In 1908, the German-American ichthyologist Carl H. Eigenmann introduced the genus Pristella for the species Holopristes riddlei described by Seth Eugene Meek a year earlier . Aphyocarax maxillaris was assigned to the genus Pristella and Holopristes riddlei turned out to be a synonym description of Pristella maxillaris , so that the genus Pristella was monotypical . A second Pristella species was described in early September 2019 . Pristella ariporo occurs in Colombia in the catchment area of ​​the Río Meta . In Hyphessobrycon axelrodi (Travassos, 1959) from Trinidad , the only species of the genus Hyphessobrycon exclusively conical teeth has, then possibly a third Pristella -type. In the family of the true tetras (Characidae) the genus Pristella belongs to the subfamily Stethaprioninae . Pristella is the sister genus of Bryconella .

literature

  • Axel Zarske: Pristella maxillaris. In: Claus Schaefer, Torsten Schröer (Hrsg.): The large lexicon of aquaristics. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8001-7497-9 , p. 808 f.
  • Günther Sterba : Freshwater fish in the world . Weltbild Verlag, Augsburg 1998, ISBN 3-89350-991-7 .

Individual evidence

  1. Cristhian C. Conde-Saldaña, Juan G. Albornoz-Garzón, Jorge E. García-Melo, Francisco A. Villa-Navarro, J. Marcos Mirande and Fla´vio CT Lima (2019): A New Pristella (Characiformes: Characidae ) from the Río Orinoco Basin, Colombia, with a Redefinition of the Genus. Copeia, 107 (3): 439-446. DOI: 10.1643 / CI-18-147

Web links

Commons : Sternflecksalmler  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files