Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gymnotiformes (Knifefishes) >
Apteronotidae (Ghost knifefishes) > Apteronotinae
Etymology: Apteronotus: Greek, apteros = without wings / (in this cases, fins) + Greek, noton = back (Ref. 45335); anu: Name in reference to the Añu indigenous people who lived along the shores of Lago Maracaibo (Ref. 93867).
Eponymy: The Añu indigenous people lived along the shores of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, in traditional houses which they built above the lake. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Issue
Populations previously identified as A. leptorhynchus based on samples originating in various rivers draining into Lago Maracaibo in both Colombia and Venezuela were found to be A. anu based on the collecting localities (Ref. 93867).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
South America: Colombia and Venezuela.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 27.1 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 93867)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Anal soft rays: 159 - 176; Vertebrae: 70 - 83. This species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: A 159-176; P 14-16; C 10-13; precaudal vertebrae 18-19; total vertebrae 70-83; 5th infraorbital present as a tubular laterosensory canal segment; cartilaginous lateral ethmoid; the number of scales above the lateral line at the midbody 7-9; the number of scales along the lateral line 59-63; the extent of the mid-dorsal groove (extending seven to eight scales beyond the vertical through the posterior terminus of the anal fin); tail length 17.1-37.5% of LEA; interorbital distance 14.7-36.5% of HL. Colouration: head and body dark brown from a lateral view with the fins apparently hyaline; distinct pale, broad, longitudinal band extends from chin along dorsal midline of head and body to over dorsal filament; pectoral and anal-fin rays ranging from translucent to dark brown with interradial membranes translucent; pale band encircling base of caudal fin; caudal fin pale at base, pale to black on central portion and translucent posteriorly (Ref. 93867).
Inhabits swift current habitats over substrates of rounded stones. It was observed that this species is a voracious nocturnal predator (Ref. 93867).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
de Santana, C.D. and R.P. Vari, 2013. Brown ghost electric fishes of the Apteronotus leptorhynchus species-group (Ostariophysi, Grymnotiformes); monophyly, major clades, and revision. Zool. J. Lin. Soc. 168(3):564-596. (Ref. 93867)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00355 (0.00145 - 0.00867), b=3.06 (2.85 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (17 of 100).
