bio.wikisort.org - Animal

Hydrocynus is a genus of large characin fish in the family Alestidae commonly called "tigerfish," native to the African continent. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek ὕδωρ ("water"[1]) + κύων ("dog"[1]). (In fact, this fish is popularly referred to as poisson chien (dog fish) in French-speaking West Africa.) The genus contains five species,[2] all popularly known as "African tigerfish" for their fierce predatory behaviour and other characteristics that make them excellent game fish.[3] Hydrocynus are normally piscivorous,[4] but H. vittatus is the only freshwater fish proven to prey on birds in flight.[5]

Hydrocynus
The five currently recognized species. From top to bottom: H. vittatus, H. tanzaniae, H. forskahlii, H. brevis and H. goliath
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Characiformes
Family:	Alestidae
Subfamily:	Alestinae
Genus:	Hydrocynus Cuvier, 1816
Type species
Hydrocyon forskahlii Cuvier, 1819
Species
5, see text.

Evolutionary history

The earliest fossils which have been identified as belonging to Hydrocynus are dated as Late Miocene, and have been found from the Chad, Maronga, Turkana and Semliki basins of northern and eastern Africa, in all of which Hydrocynus species still occur.[2] The oldest lineage appears to be that of Hydrocynus goliath, while lineages of H. brevis and H. forskahlii diverged in the Late Miocene and Pliocene while the lineages which formed H. tanzaniae and the "vittatus complex" appear in the Pliocene.[2]

Species

Five species of Hydrocynus tigerfish are currently recognised.[6]

• Hydrocynus brevis (Günther, 1864) (Tigerfish)
• Hydrocynus forskahlii (G. Cuvier, 1819) (Elongate tigerfish)
• Hydrocynus goliath Boulenger, 1898 (Giant tigerfish)
• Hydrocynus tanzaniae B. Brewster, 1986 (Blue tigerfish)
• Hydrocynus vittatus Castelnau, 1861 (Striped tigerfish)

However, recent molecular analysis indicates that there might be up to five more unidentified cryptic species, although more study of the ecology and behaviour is required. This study did not support the treatment of H. vittatus as a synonym of H. forskahlii.[2]

Economic importance

The different species tigerfish are among the most important and popular game fish species in Africa and as a result they are an important asset to the various tourist industries. They are also one of the most important components of commercial freshwater catches in Africa.[7]

Notes and references

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hydrocynus.

На других языках

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- [en] Hydrocynus

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[ru] Гидроцины

Гидроцины[1], или тигровые рыбы[1] (лат. Hydrocynus) — род крупных лучепёрых рыб семейства африканских тетр. Название рода происходит от древнегреческих слов ὕδωρ («вода»[2]) + κύων («собака»[2]). Эндемики Африки. Род содержит пять видов, все в народе известны как «африканские тигровые рыбы» из-за их свирепого хищнического поведения и других характеристик, делающих их отличными объектами для спортивной рыбалки[3]. Представители рода Hydrocynus — единственные пресноводные рыбы, способные хватать пролетающих над водой птиц[4]. Достигают длины от 25 см (H. tanzaniae) до 133 см и массы около 50 кг (большая тигровая рыба)[5].

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