Amazon hatchet herring (Pristigaster cayana)

Scientific name: Pristigaster cayana Cuvier, 1829

Amazon hatchet herring (Pristigaster cayana)

The Amazon hatchet herring (Pristigaster cayana) is a freshwater fish of the family Pristigasteridae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 45 - 54. Belly profile strongly convex (almost circular from throat to anus), 30 to 33 scutes. Lower jaw projecting, mouth directed almost vertically upward; no toothed hypo-maxillary bone between hind end of pre-maxilla and lower bulge of maxilla blade; eye large. Pectoral fins high on body; anal fin origin behind dorsal fin base; upper caudal fin lobe ending in a filament in larger fishes.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Pristigaster cayana
Family
Pristigasteridae (Pristigasterids)
Order
Clupeiformes (Herrings)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
14.5
Common length
8.5
Environment
Freshwater; brackish; pelagic
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
South America: Amazon drainage (from perhaps mouth of Rio Branco at Goia?u, Rio Solim?es, Rio Juru? and as far as the R?o Ucayali in Peru). (There are possibly two species, judging from specimens in the Museu de Zool?gia, Sao Paulo).
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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