Myloplus levis
| Myloplus levis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Serrasalmidae |
| Genus: | Myloplus |
| Species: | M. levis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Myloplus levis (C. H. Eigenmann & McAtee, 1907)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Myloplus levis, the Moon pacu, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, which includes the pacus and piranhas. This fish is found in southern South America.
Taxonomy
Myloplus levis was first formally described as Myleus levis in 1907 by the American ichthyologists Carl H. Eigenmann and Waldo Lee McAtee with its type locality given as Bahía Negra in Paraguay.[2] The genus Myloplus is classified in the subfamily Myleinae,[3] of the family Serrasalmidae,[4] which is classified in the suborder Characoidei of the order Characiformes.[5]
Etymology
Myloplus levis is classified within the genus Myloplus, this taxon was originally proposed as a subgenus of Myletes, this being a name which has been suppressed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature as a synonym of Alestes. The proposer of this genus, Theodore Gill, did not explain its etymology, it may be a combination of Mylo-, a reference to disk-shaped body and a prefix used for similary shaped fishes in the same family, with plus, which means "more", i.e., another Myleus-like genus. The specific name, levis, means "smooth", "polished" or "bald", an allusion Eigenmann and McAtee did not explain, nor is it obvious why they chose this name.[6]
Description
Myloplus levis has a maximum publsihed standard length of 20 cm (7.9 in).[7] Ot is dark brown in colour, lighter below the lateral line. The fins are transluscent, apart from the dusky base of the dorsal fin and the black blotch on the margin of the anal fin.[8]
Distribution and habitat
Myloplus levis occurs in the Paraguay-Paraná River drainage system, in Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Pacus in the genus Myloplus are typically found in calm water close to banks in the main channels and in the vicinity of rapids.[1]
References
- ^ a b Brejão, G.L. (2023). "Myloplus levis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T49829703A159921357. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T49829703A159921357.en. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ a b Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Myloplus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Richard van der Laan; William N. Eschmeyer & Ronald Fricke (2014). "Family-group names of recent fishes". Zootaxa. 3882 (2): 1–230. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1. PMID 25543675.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Myleinae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Richard van der Laan; William N. Eschmeyer; Ronald Fricke. "Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes Classification". Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf (11 June 2025). "Family SERRASALMIDAE Bleeker 1859 (Pacus and Piranhas)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Myloplus levis". FishBase. April 2025 version.
- ^ Eigenmann, Carl H. (1907). "On further collections of fishes from Paraguay". Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 4 (2). Published by authority of the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institute: 110--157. doi:10.5962/p.264300.
- Jégu, M., 2003. Serrasalminae (Pacus and piranhas). p. 182-196. 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.