Gymnotus

Taxobox
name = Banded knifefishes


image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Gymnotiformes
familia = Gymnotidae
genus = "Gymnotus"
genus_authority = Linnaeus, 1758
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

"Gymnotus" is the among the most species-rich group of electric knifefishes (Gymnotiformes) found in the Amazon. Some "Gymnotus" species live in the leaf litter and root tangles of river banks. Other species are specialized to live on floodplains within the rootmats of floating meadows. Several species are broadly adapted to live in both of these habitats. "Gymnotus" are nocturnal predators feeding on insects, crustaceans, and other fish. They generate weak electric fields used in locating objects, and also for communication in which the males court females using stereotyped electrical "songs".Fact|date=April 2007

Small scales may be present on this fish. The mouth is superior, meaning it is turned upwards. The anal fin terminates at a point near the tip of the tail. Species of "Gymnotus" reach up to about 100 cm in length. This is the most widespread genus of the order Gymnotiformes, extending from southern Mexico to Argentina. They also occur in Trinidad.cite book | title = Fishes of the World | last = Nelson | first = Joseph, S. | publisher = John Wiley & Sons, Inc. | year = 2006 | id = ISBN 0471250317]

pecies

* "Gymnotus anguillaris" Hoedeman, 1962.
* "Gymnotus arapaima" Albert & Crampton, 2001.
* "Gymnotus ardilai" Maldonado-Ocampo & Albert, 2004.
* "Gymnotus bahianus" Campos-da-Paz & Costa, 1996.
* Banded knifefish, "Gymnotus carapo" Linnaeus, 1758.
* "Gymnotus cataniapo" Mago-Leccia, 1994.
* "Gymnotus chimarrao" Cognato et al., 2007cite journal|title="Gymnotus chimarrao", a new species of electric fish (Gymnotiformes: Gymnotidae) from Southern Brazil.|last=Cognato et al.|journal=Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters|volume=18|pages=375–382]
* "Gymnotus choco" Albert, Crampton & Maldonado, 2003.
* "Gymnotus coatesi" La Monte, 1935.
* "Gymnotus coropinae" Hoedeman, 1962.
* "Gymnotus curupira" Crampton, Thorsen & Albert, 2005.
* "Gymnotus cylindricus" La Monte, 1935.
* "Gymnotus diamantinensis" Campos-da-Paz, 2002.
* "Gymnotus esmeraldas" Albert & Crampton, 2003.
* "Gymnotus henni" Albert, Crampton & Maldonado, 2003.
* "Gymnotus inaequilabiatus" (Valenciennes, 1842).
* "Gymnotus javari" Albert, Crampton & Hagedorn, 2003.
* "Gymnotus jonasi" Albert & Crampton, 2001.
* Spotted knifefish, "Gymnotus maculosus" Albert & Miller, 1995.
* "Gymnotus mamiraua" Albert & Crampton, 2001.
* "Gymnotus melanopleura" Albert & Crampton, 2001.
* "Gymnotus obscurus" Crampton, Thorsen & Albert, 2005.
* "Gymnotus onca" Albert & Crampton, 2001.
* "Gymnotus panamensis" Albert & Crampton, 2003.
* "Gymnotus pantanal" Fernandes, Albert, Daniel-Silva, Lopes, Crampton & Almeida-Toledo, 2005.
* "Gymnotus pantherinus" (Steindachner, 1908).
* "Gymnotus paraguensis" Albert & Crampton, 2003.
* "Gymnotus pedanopterus" Mago-Leccia, 1994.
* "Gymnotus stenoleucus" Mago-Leccia, 1994.
* "Gymnotus sylvius" Albert & Fernandes-Matioli, 1999.
* "Gymnotus tigre" Albert & Crampton, 2003.
* "Gymnotus ucamara" Crampton, Lovejoy & Albert, 2003.
* "Gymnotus varzea" Crampton, Thorsen & Albert, 2005.

References