Biara

Säbelzahnsalmler ( Rhaphiodon vulpinus )

The Säbelzahnsalmler or Biara ( Rhaphiodon vulpinus ) belongs to the family of Wolfssalmler ( Cynodonidae ) and is common in South America.

System

For the kind Rhaphiodon vulpinus ( Agassiz, 1829), there were scientific names that are no longer used today: Hydropardus rapax ( Reinhardt, 1849) or Cynodon vulpinus ( Cuvier, 1829). Cuvier classified the type originally in the Hydrocyon genus. Other names were Raphiodon vulpinus ( Müller & Troschel, 1844), Cynodon vupinus ( Eigenmann, 1891), Rhaphiodon vulpinum ( Eigenmann and Allen, 1942), Rhaphiodontichthys vulpinus (listed in " Species of Venezuela " by Campos, 1945) and Rhaphiodontichthys vulpinus ( Machado Allison, 1987). Some authors grouped the Cynodonidae only as a subfamily of the tetras. His local naming both in Portuguese as Dentudo, Cachorra - Facão, Peixe - Cachorro or Saranha, as well as in Spanish as Dientudo Blanco, payara machete, Pirayaguá allude to his sharp dog teeth or are compounds of sardine and Piranha.

Dissemination

Rhaphiodon vulpinus occurs in the catchment area on a larger slow -flowing lowland rivers such as the Amazon in Ecuador, the Rio Xingu in Brazil, the Rio Ucayali in Peru, the Orinoco in Venezuela, the Paraná River in Argentina, Rio Paraguay in Paraguay or the Rio Uruguay in Uruguay. The southernmost distribution area is located on the Rio de la Plata in Argentina. Smaller populations are located in the rivers Essequibo and Rio Rupununi in Guyana.

Morphology

1994 studied Buckup and Petry the characteristic teeth of Rhaphiodon vulpinus who have been pronounced already in the larval stage. The presence of three rows of teeth, which trained for juveniles describes the family of Cynodontinae. Rhaphiodon vulpinus distinguished from other Cynodontinae through the long streamlined body and large dorsal fin in the rear third of the body. Specimens that were caught in the black water of the Rio Negro, show a much lighter color.

Way of life

Säbelzahnsalmler be up to 80 centimeters long and live in freshwater pelagic. Characteristic is her prey behavior. The reproductive biology of the species in the Rio Tocatins was investigated.

Use

Rhaphiodon vulpinus and Hydrolycus scomberoides are aquarium fish that are regularly exported from Peru. Due to its size, the Säbelzahnsalmler is often fished. As a food fish it has only a very minor role.