Tetra
| Tetra | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Black neon tetra, Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
| ||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||
|
Tetra is the common name for various small, often colorful freshwater fish belonging to the family Characidae, and in particular to those placed in the characifom (order Characiformes) subfamilies Tetragonopterinae (the South American tetras) and Alestiinae (the African tetras), the later of which now is generally placed as its own family, Alestiidae.
The term tetra is not a formal taxonomic rank, but rather is the common name used for numerous small fish scattered over numerous genera and different families and subfamilies. Because of the popularity of tetras in the fishkeeping hobby, many unrelated fish are commonly known as tetras, including species from differing families. Even fish that are vastly different may be called tetras, such as Hydrolycus scomberoides, occasionally known as the sabretooth tetra or vampire tetra, which is placed in the Characinae subfamily of Characidae.
Many of these, such as the neon tetra, are brightly colored and easy to keep in captivity, and extremely popular for home aquaria.
Description
Characidae is a large and diverse family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish, belonging to the Order Characiformes. Known as characins, members of this family are found in Central and South America, southern North America, and Africa, and include such varied forms as the piranhas, the tetras, a blind cavefish in Mexico (populations of Astyanax mexicanus found in caves) and Brazil (Stygichthys typhlops), and a species found as far northward as southwestern United States (Astyanax mexicanus) (Nelson 1994).
The Characidae family is placed within the order Characiformes. Characiformes are characterized by well developed teeth (most are carnivores) and the presence of a pelvic fin (with five to twelve rays) and normally an adipose fin, and a body that is almost always scaled (Nelson 1994).
The Characidae family is large and diverse, and is one of the only completely freshwater fish families indigenous to both Africa and South America, along with Osteoglossidae (Nelson 1994). The characidae are distinguished from other fish by the presence of a small adipose fin between the dorsal fin and caudal fin.
This family has undergone much taxonomic revision. Among those fishes that remain in the Characidae for the time being are the tetras, comprising quite a number of genera (such as the similar genera Hemigrammus and Hyphessobrycon), as well as a few related forms. These include the cave (Astyanax mexicanus) and neon tetras. The piranhas (Serraslamus) are also currently in this family.
Characins inhabit a wide range and a variety of habitats. They originate in the Americas from southwestern Texas and Mexico through Central and South America (Nelson 2006). Many fish come from rivers, but the blind cave tetra even inhabits caves.
Though the list below is sorted by common name, in a number of cases, the common name is applied to different species, depending on country and context. Since the aquarium trade may use a different name for the same species, advanced aquarists tend to use scientific names for the less-common tetras. The list below is incomplete.
Tetra species
- Adonis tetra Lepidarchus adonis
- African long-finned tetra Brycinus longipinnis
- African moon tetra Bathyaethiops caudomaculatus
- Arnold's tetra Arnoldichthys spilopterus
- Buenos Aires tetra Hyphessobrycon anisitsi
- Banded tetra Astyanax fasciatus
- Bandtail tetra Moenkhausia dichroura
- Barred glass tetra Phenagoniates macrolepis
- Bass tetra Hemigrammus rodwayi
- Beacon tetra Hemigrammus ocellifer
- Belgian flag tetra Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus
- Black darter tetra Poecilocharax weitzmani
- Black morpho tetra Poecilocharax weitzmani
- Black neon tetra Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
- Black phantom tetra Hyphessobrycon megalopterus
- Black tetra Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
- Black tetra Gymnocorymbus thayer
- Black wedge tetra Hemigrammus pulcher
- Blackband tetra Hyphessobrycon scholzei
- Blackedge tetra Tyttocharax madeirae
- Black-flag tetra Hyphessobrycon rosaceus
- Black-jacket tetra Moenkhausia takasei
- Blackline tetra Hyphessobrycon scholzei
- Bleeding heart tetra Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma
- Bleeding heart tetra Hyphessobrycon socolofi
- Blind tetra Stygichthys typhlops
- Bloodfin tetra Aphyocharax anisitsi
- Bloodfin tetra Aphyocharax alburnus
- Blue tetra Mimagoniates microlepis
- Blue tetra Tyttocharax madeirae
- Blue tetra Boehlkea fredcochui
- Brilliant rummynose tetra Hemigrammus bleheri
- Bucktooth tetra Exodon paradoxus
- Buenos Aires tetra Hyphessobrycon anisitsi
- Butterfly tetra Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
- Callistus tetra Hyphessobrycon eques
- Calypso tetra Hyphessobrycon axelrodi
- Cardinal tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi
- Carlana tetra Carlana eigenmanni
- Cochu's blue tetra Boehlkea fredcochui
- Central tetra Astyanax aeneus
- Coffee-bean tetra Hyphessobrycon takasei
- Colcibolca tetra Astyanax nasutus
- Congo tetra Phenacogrammus interruptus
- Copper tetra Hasemania melanura
- Costello tetra Hemigrammus hyanuary
- Creek tetra Bryconamericus scleroparius
- Creek tetra Bryconamericus terrabensis
- Croaking tetra Mimagoniates inequalis
- Croaking tetra Mimagoniates lateralis
- Dawn tetra Hyphessobrycon eos
- Dawn tetra Aphyocharax paraguayensis
- Diamond tetra Moenkhausia pittieri
- Discus tetra Brachychalcinus orbicularis
- Disk tetra Brachychalcinus orbicularis
- Disk tetra Myleus schomburgkii
- Dragonfin tetra Pseudocorynopoma doriae
- Ember tetra Hyphessobrycon amandae
- Emperor tetra Nematobrycon palmeri
- False black tetra Gymnocorymbus thayeri
- False neon tetra Paracheirodon simulans
- False red nose tetra Petitella georgiae
- False rummynose tetra Petitella georgiae
- Featherfin tetra Hemigrammus unilineatus
- Firehead tetra Hemigrammus bleheri
- Flag tetra Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus
- Flame tail tetra Aphyocharax erythrurus
- Flame tetra Hyphessobrycon flammeus
- Garnet tetra Hemigrammus pulcher
- Glass tetra Moenkhausia oligolepis
- Glossy tetra Moenkhausia oligolepis
- Glowlight tetra Hemigrammus erythrozonus
- Gold tetra Hemigrammus rodwayi
- Golden tetra Hemigrammus rodwayi
- Goldencrown tetra Aphyocharax alburnus
- Goldspotted tetra Hyphessobrycon griemi
- Gold-tailed tetra Carlastyanax aurocaudatus
- Green dwarf tetra Odontocharacidium aphanes
- Green neon tetra Paracheirodon simulans
- Green tetra Paracheirodon simulans
- Griem's tetra Hyphessobrycon griemi
- Head-and-taillight tetra Hemigrammus ocellifer
- January tetra Hemigrammus hyanuary
- Jellybean tetra Lepidarchus adonis
- Jewel tetra Hyphessobrycon eques
- Jumping tetra Hemibrycon tridens
- Largespot tetra Astyanax orthodus
- Lemon tetra Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis
- Longfin tetra Brycinus longipinnis
- Long-finned glass tetra Xenagoniates bondi
- Longjaw tetra Bramocharax bransfordii
- Loreto tetra Hyphessobrycon loretoensis
- Mayan tetra Hyphessobrycon compressus
- Mexican tetra Astyanax mexicanus
- Mimic scale-eating tetra Probolodus heterostomus
- Mourning tetra Brycon pesu
- Naked Tetra Gymnocharacinus bergii
- Neon tetra Paracheirodon innesi
- Niger tetra Arnoldichthys spilopterus
- Nurse tetra Brycinus nurse
- Oneline tetra Nannaethiops unitaeniatus
- One-line tetra Hemigrammus unilineatus
- Orangefin tetra Bryconops affinis
- Ornate tetra Hyphessobrycon bentosi
- Panama tetra Hyphessobrycon panamensis
- Penguin tetra Thayeria boehlkei
- Peruvian tetra Hyphessobrycon peruvianus
- Petticoat tetra Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
- Phantom tetra Hyphessobrycon megalopterus
- Pittier's tetra Moenkhausia pittieri
- Pretty tetra Hemigrammus pulcher
- Pristella tetra Pristella maxillaris
- Pygmy tetra Odontostilbe dialeptura
- Rainbow tetra Nematobrycon palmeri
- Rainbow tetra Nematobrycon lacortei
- Red eye tetra Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae
- Red phantom tetra Hyphessobrycon sweglesi
- Red tetra Hyphessobrycon flammeus
- Redeye tetra Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae
- Redeye tetra Moenkhausia oligolepis
- Rednose tetra Hemigrammus rhodostomus
- Red-nose tetra Hemigrammus bleheri
- Redspotted tetra Copeina guttata
- Rosy tetra Hyphessobrycon bentosi
- Rosy tetra Hyphessobrycon rosaceus
- Royal tetra Inpaichthys kerri
- Ruby tetra Axelrodia riesei
- Rummy-nose tetra Hemigrammus rhodostomus
- Rummy-nose tetra Hemigrammus bleheri
- Sailfin tetra Crenuchus spilurus
- Savage tetra Hyphessobrycon savagei
- Savanna tetra Hyphessobrycon stegemanni
- Semaphore tetra Pterobrycon myrnae
- Serpae tetra Hyphessobrycon eques
- Sharptooth tetra Micralestes acutidens
- Silver tetra Gymnocorymbus thayeri
- Silver tetra Ctenobrycon spilurus
- Silver tetra Micralestes acutidens
- Silvertip tetra Hasemania melanura
- Silvertip tetra Hasemania nana
- Silver-tipped tetra Hasemania nana
- Splash tetra Copella arnoldi
- Splashing tetra Copella arnoldi
- Spotfin tetra Hyphessobrycon socolofi
- Spottail tetra Moenkhausia dichroura
- Spotted tetra Copella nattereri
- Swegles's tetra Hyphessobrycon sweglesi
- Tailspot tetra Bryconops caudomaculatus
- Tetra von Rio Hyphessobrycon flammeus
- Three-lined African tetra Neolebias trilineatus
- Tiete tetra Brycon insignis
- Tortuguero tetra Hyphessobrycon tortuguerae
- Transparent tetra Charax gibbosus
- True big-scale tetra Brycinus macrolepidotus
- Uruguay tetra Cheirodon interruptus
- White spot tetra Aphyocharax paraguayensis
- X-ray tetra Pristella maxillaris
- Yellow tetra Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus
- Yellow-tailed African tetra Alestopetersius caudalis
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Nelson 1994
- Nelson 2006
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
