TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Order: Characiformes (Characins)
Family: Prochilodontidae (Flannel-mouth characiforms)
Genus/species: Semaprochilodus taeniurus
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: The Flagtail Prochilodus silvery body is laterally compressed. The caudal fin is horizontally striped with 6+ black bands, alternating with deep gray bands.
Length to 24 cm (9.5 inches)
DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: S. taeniurus is found in the Amazon basin and its tributaries such as the Rio Negro. It migrates and spawns in river channels but feeds mostly in the floodplains.
DIET IN THE WILD: Periphyton (a complex mixture of algae, cyanobacteria, microbes and detritus that is attached to surfaces in most aquatic ecosystems).
CONSERVATION: IUCN: Red List Least concern
CITES: Not Evaluated. S. taeniurus is one of the most common fish in the Amazon basin and the most abundant.
REMARKS: They have two stomachs. One filled with mud and likely designed to process and digest detritus.
References
California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Amazon Flooded Tunnel 2018
Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/8532474845/in/set-72157620568438047
Ron’s WordPress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-Se
fishbase www.fishbase.us/summary/11898
Encyclopedia of Life eol.org/pages/1010276/details
General info on Characins. https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/26770704548/in/dateposted-public/
Ron's Critter of the Day 