New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

💧 Freshwater Near Threatened 🌡️ Subtropical

Psalidodon Puka

Psalidodon puka Mirande, Aguilera & Azpelicueta, 2007
Max Length
5 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3
Depth
-
Climate
Subtropical
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
11.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
-

📖 Overview

Psalidodon Puka (Psalidodon puka), first described by Mirande, Aguilera & Azpelicueta, 2007 is a small fish. Adults typically reach 5.00 cm in maximum length. It inhabits freshwater systems including rivers, streams, and lakes. It occurs in Subtropical waters. It is broadly omnivorous, taking invertebrates, plant matter, and detritus. On the IUCN Red List, it is classified as Near Threatened.

Scientific Name
Psalidodon puka
Authority
Mirande, Aguilera & Azpelicueta, 2007
Habitat
Freshwater
Climate
Subtropical
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
IUCN Status
NT
Max Length
5 cm
Trophic Level
3
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
11.00/100
Salinity
0–0.5 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

Genus
Psalidodon
Psalidodon
Species
Psalidodon Puka
Psalidodon puka

🐟 Physical Description

Astyanax puka is distinguished from the remaining species of the genus by the following combination of characters: shallow body (33.5–39.8% SL), 36–38 perforated scales in lateral line, 6/5 transverse scales, 9–10 gradually decreasing dentary teeth, distally expanded premaxillary teeth, one distally expanded maxillary tooth with 7–9 cusps, short upper-jaw length (34.5–37.8% HL), short maxilla (20.7–23.3% HL)expanded abruptly under maxillary tooth position, short postorbital distance (36.6–46.9% HL), short pelvic to anal-fin origin distance (17.1–20.6% SL), 22–27 branched anal-fin rays, long caudal peduncle (13.3–16.5% SL), bony hooks restricted to pelvic-fin rays 2 to 6 and anterior 6–13 branched anal-fin rays on mature males, and the presence of broad denticles on anterior, lateral, and posterior edges of first ceratobranchial gill rakers .: short and / or deep.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Psalidodon Puka is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous
Spawning Season
spring
Spawn Location
Substrate
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Subtropical South America: Argentina.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
💧 Freshwater
Trophic Level
3±0.3

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.01738 × L3.01 (TL)
Max TL
5cm

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
0–0.5ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Near Threatened
Assessment Date
2021

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
High
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
11.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
3
Predator
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Described By
Mirande, Aguilera & Azpelicueta, 2007

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Psalidodon Puka ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.