TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Characiformes (Characins)
Family: Gasteropelecidae (Freshwater hatchetfishes)

Genus/species: Carnegiella strigata

More Marbeled Hatchetfish IMG_7957

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Hatchet shaped. A gold line extends from its eye to its caudal fin while the area below has a brown and cream-colored marble-like pattern. Length, 3.5 cm (1.4 in).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: South America rivers in blackwater environments generally in areas with a lot of surface vegetation.

DIET IN THE WILD:  Their mouth situated up on top of their body to eat surface crustaceans and insects. 

REPRODUCTION: The female deposits eggs on plants and roots.  Fry will hatch after 30 hours and become free swimming in 5 days.  

LIFESPAN: 2-5 years.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List; Not evaluated.

REMARKS: Amazonian rivers as they resemble a dead leaf floating sideways on the surface of a body of water.

Capable of propelled jumps above the water surface by beating their pectoral fins to escape predatory threats.

References

Ron’s WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-17P

Ron’s flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608614099673/

fishbase  www.fishbase.org/summary/speciessummary.php?id=10736