Freshwater Tonguefish
📖 Overview
Freshwater Tonguefish (Apionichthys nattereri), first described by Steindachner, 1876 is a medium-sized fish in the family Achiridae (order Pleuronectiformes). Adults typically reach 23.40 cm in maximum length. It inhabits freshwater systems including rivers, streams, and lakes. It occurs in Tropical waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator. On the IUCN Red List, it is classified as Least Concern.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 76 - 84; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 56 - 65; Vertebrae: 41 - 43. Pronounced dark coloration on most of blind-side head (supracranial area, anterior half of cranial area and cheek, antero-ventral part of opercular area), basal part of dorsal and anal fin rays and pelvic fin; in specimens longer than 19 cm, dark coloration replaced by gray, diffuse color, paler on larger specimens; gill opening on the eyed side forming short slit equal or smaller than nostril diameter; and 92-114 series of scales .: elongated.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Freshwater Tonguefish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical South America: Amazon basin; there are no records from the Xingu, Tapajós, and Madeira rivers.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Freshwater Tonguefish |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Linguado |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Lenguado |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achiropsis nattereri | Steindachner | 1876 | Synonym |
| Achiropsis normani | Chabanaud | 1928 | Synonym |
| Solea nattereri | Steindachner | 1876 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 2 records indexed .
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