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Teleostei (teleosts) > Gymnotiformes (Knifefishes) > Hypopomidae (Bluntnose knifefishes)
Etymology: Akawaio: Named for Akawaio Amerindians that populate the region of the upper Mazaruni and to recognize their valuable help while studying the fishes of their lands. A masculine noun; penak: From the Akawaio name ‘penak’, which is apparently used unambiguously for this species. A masculine noun in apposition.
Eponymy: The Akawaio Amerindians who live in the region of the upper Mazaruni River, Guyana, were thanked for their valuable help while the describers studied the fishes of their territory. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical

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South America: endemic to the upper Mazaruni River in Guyana.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 21.7 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 94087)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Anal soft rays: 173 - 199. Can be diagnosed by the following characters: coracoid with a foramen; opercle with concave posterior margin; one ossified basibranchial; absence of postpectoral or humeral accessory electric organs; 14 total pectoral-fin rays (ii-iii) (shared with ranges of some Brachyhypopomus species0; 173-199 anal-fin rays (shared with ranges of few species of Brachyhypopomus and Microsternarchus); snout length 24.7-32.6% HL; five pectoral radials, in some individuals four partially fused to five (shared with Hypopomus species); mesopterygoid with short or reduced ascending process (shared with Microsternarchus species); mesocoracoid bridge absent (shared with most species of Brachyhypopomus, Microsternarchus and Racenisia); and 17 precaudal vertebrae (shared with some Brachyhypopomus species) (Ref. 94087).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Albert, James S. | Collaborators

Maldonado-Ocampo, J.A., H. López-Fernández, D.C. Taphorn, C.R. Bernard, W.G.R. Crampton and N. Lovejoy, 2013. Akawaio penak, a new genus and species of Neotropical electric fish (Gymnotiformes, Hypopomidae) endemic to the upper Mazarumi River in the Guiana Shield. Zoologica Scripta (Ref. 94087)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Endangered (EN) (B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)); Date assessed: 14 December 2022

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 1.0000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00617 (0.00198 - 0.01923), b=3.06 (2.81 - 3.31), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (12 of 100).

Akawaio penak Maldonado-Ocampo, López-Fernández, Taphorn, Bernard, Crampton & Lovejoy, 2013