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Taxa

Characiformes

Fish Orders

Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish comprising the characins and their allies, grouped into 18 recognized families with more than 2,000 described species, including the well-known piranhas and tetras. Characins are most diverse in the Neotropics, found throughout lakes and rivers of South and Central America, with at least 209 further species native to Africa.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Order 1
Scientific Name
Characiformes 1
Geographic Distribution
Most diverse in the Neotropics, in lakes and rivers of South and Central America 1
Defining Characteristics
Weberian apparatus connecting swim bladder and inner ear 1
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Body almost always covered in well-defined scales 1
Classification
Living or Extinct
Yes 2
Connections

Parent Taxon Of

Astyanax jordani, Species
Source Astyanax jordani (Wikidata)
Goliath Tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath), Species
Source Hydrocynus goliath (Wikidata)
Mexican tetra, Species
Source Mexican tetra (Wikidata)
Payara, Species
Source Wikidata: Payara
Red-bellied Piranha, Species
Source Wikidata: Red-bellied Piranha
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Characiformes, Wikipedia
  • Lead paragraph
    Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies.
  • Distribution
    Characins are most diverse in the Neotropics, where they are found in lakes and rivers throughout most of South and Central America.
  • Anatomy, Weberian apparatus
    Characins possess a Weberian apparatus, a series of bony parts connecting the swim bladder and inner ear.
  • Anatomy, body
    The body is almost always covered in well-defined scales.
View the Source
2. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ217458, descriptionView the Source
Wikidata: Characiformes
Wikidata Q217458, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Wikidata: Red-bellied Piranha
Parent Taxon Of: Red-bellied Piranha, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Hydrocynus goliath (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Goliath Tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath), Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Mexican tetra (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Mexican tetra, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Astyanax jordani (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Astyanax jordani, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Payara
Parent Taxon Of: Payara, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
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