Astyanax (fish): Difference between revisions

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””’Astyanax””’ is a [[genus]] of [[freshwater]] [[Actinopterygii|ray-finned fishes]] belonging to the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Acestrorhamphidae]], the American characins.<ref name=”Cof family”>{{Cof family|family=Acestrorhamphidae|access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref> Some of these fish, like many of their relatives, are kept as [[aquarium]] pets and known collectively as [[tetra]]s. With around 150 described [[species]] and new ones being described yearly,<ref name=”FB”>{{FishBase_genus | genus = Astyanax | month = October | year = 2016 }}</ref> this genus is among the largest of the entire order; ”[[Hyphessobrycon]]” also has more than 145 species and which one is larger at any one time depends on whether more species have been recently described in one or the other. The blind and colorless cave tetra of Mexico is a famous member of the genus, but its [[Taxonomy (biology)|taxonomic]] position is disputed: Some recognize it as [[Mexican tetra#Blind cave form|part of the Mexican tetra]] (”A. mexicanus”) and this is supported by [[phylogenetic]] evidence,<ref>{{cite journal | author = Jeffery W | year = 2009 | title = Regressive evolution in Astyanax cavefish | journal = Annu. Rev. Genet. | volume = 43 | pages = 25–47 | doi=10.1146/annurev-genet-102108-134216| pmid = 19640230 | pmc = 3594788}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Dowling TE, Martasian DP, Jeffery WR | year = 2002 | title = Evidence for multiple genetic forms with similar eyeless phenotypes in the blind cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus | journal = Mol. Biol. Evol. | volume = 19 | issue = 4| pages = 446–455 | doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a004100| pmid = 11919286 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bradic|first1=Martina|last2=Beerli|first2=Peter|last3=García-de León|first3=Francisco J|last4=Esquivel-Bobadilla|first4=Sarai|last5=Borowsky|first5=Richard L|title=Gene flow and population structure in the Mexican blind cavefish complex (Astyanax mexicanus)|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|date=2012|volume=12|issue=1|pages=9|doi=10.1186/1471-2148-12-9|pmid=22269119|pmc=3282648 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Strecker U, Faúndez VH, Wilkens H | year = 2004 | title = Phylogeography of surface and cave Astyanax (Teleostei) from Central and North America based on cytochrome b sequence data | journal = Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. | volume = 33 | issue = 2| pages = 469–481 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2004.07.001| pmid = 15336680 }}</ref><ref name=”Keene2016″>{{cite book |author1=Keene |author2=Yoshizawa |author3=McGaugh | title=Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish | year=2016 | pages=77–87 |publisher=Elsevier Science | isbn=978-0-12-802148-4}}</ref> but others recognize the cave form as a separate species, ”[[Astyanax jordani|A. jordani]]”.<ref name=FB/>

””’Astyanax””’ is a [[genus]] of [[freshwater]] [[Actinopterygii|ray-finned fishes]] belonging to the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Acestrorhamphidae]], the American characins.<ref name=”Cof family”>{{Cof family|family=Acestrorhamphidae|access-date=9 November 2025}}</ref> Some of these fish, like many of their relatives, are kept as [[aquarium]] pets and known collectively as [[tetra]]s. With around 150 described [[species]] and new ones being described yearly,<ref name=”FB”>{{FishBase_genus | genus = Astyanax | month = October | year = 2016 }}</ref> this genus is among the largest of the entire order; ”[[Hyphessobrycon]]” also has more than 145 species and which one is larger at any one time depends on whether more species have been recently described in one or the other. The blind and colorless cave tetra of Mexico is a famous member of the genus, but its [[Taxonomy (biology)|taxonomic]] position is disputed: Some recognize it as [[Mexican tetra#Blind cave form|part of the Mexican tetra]] (”A. mexicanus”) and this is supported by [[phylogenetic]] evidence,<ref>{{cite journal | author = Jeffery W | year = 2009 | title = Regressive evolution in Astyanax cavefish | journal = Annu. Rev. Genet. | volume = 43 | pages = 25–47 | doi=10.1146/annurev-genet-102108-134216| pmid = 19640230 | pmc = 3594788}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Dowling TE, Martasian DP, Jeffery WR | year = 2002 | title = Evidence for multiple genetic forms with similar eyeless phenotypes in the blind cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus | journal = Mol. Biol. Evol. | volume = 19 | issue = 4| pages = 446–455 | doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a004100| pmid = 11919286 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bradic|first1=Martina|last2=Beerli|first2=Peter|last3=García-de León|first3=Francisco J|last4=Esquivel-Bobadilla|first4=Sarai|last5=Borowsky|first5=Richard L|title=Gene flow and population structure in the Mexican blind cavefish complex (Astyanax mexicanus)|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|date=2012|volume=12|issue=1|pages=9|doi=10.1186/1471-2148-12-9|pmid=22269119|pmc=3282648 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Strecker U, Faúndez VH, Wilkens H | year = 2004 | title = Phylogeography of surface and cave Astyanax (Teleostei) from Central and North America based on cytochrome b sequence data | journal = Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. | volume = 33 | issue = 2| pages = 469–481 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2004.07.001| pmid = 15336680 }}</ref><ref name=”Keene2016″>{{cite book |author1=Keene |author2=Yoshizawa |author3=McGaugh | title=Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish | year=2016 | pages=77–87 |publisher=Elsevier Science | isbn=978-0-12-802148-4}}</ref> but others recognize the cave form as a separate species, ”[[Astyanax jordani|A. jordani]]”.<ref name=FB/>

The [[type species]] is ”A. argentatus”,<ref name = “Cof family”/> which was formerly regarded as a [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]] of ”A. mexicanus”.<ref name = “Cogf genus”/> The [[genus|generic]] name comes from [[Astyanax]], a character in [[Greek mythology]], who was the son of [[Hector of Troy]]; in homage to this, several [[specific name (zoology)|specific epithet]]s also refer to the ”[[Iliad]]”.<ref name=FB/>

The [[type species]] is ”A. argentatus”,<ref name = “Cof family”/> which was formerly regarded as a [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]] of ”A. mexicanus”.<ref name = “Cogf genus”/> The [[genus|generic]] name comes from [[Astyanax]], a character in [[Greek mythology]], who was the son of [[Hector of Troy]]; to , name ()| =/>

==Taxonomy and systematics==

==Taxonomy and systematics==

Genus of fishes

Astyanax
Astyanax mexicanus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Characiformes
Family:	Acestrorhamphidae
Subfamily:	Acestrorhamphinae
Genus:	Astyanax S. F. Baird & Girard, 1854[1]
Type species
Astyanax argentatus
Synonyms[1]

Astyanax is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Acestrorhamphidae, the American characins.^[1] Some of these fish, like many of their relatives, are kept as aquarium pets and known collectively as tetras. With around 150 described species and new ones being described yearly,^[2] this genus is among the largest of the entire order; Hyphessobrycon also has more than 145 species and which one is larger at any one time depends on whether more species have been recently described in one or the other. The blind and colorless cave tetra of Mexico is a famous member of the genus, but its taxonomic position is disputed: Some recognize it as part of the Mexican tetra (A. mexicanus) and this is supported by phylogenetic evidence,^{[3][4][5][6][7]} but others recognize the cave form as a separate species, A. jordani.^[2]

The type species is A. argentatus,^[1] which was formerly regarded as a synonym of A. mexicanus.^[8] The generic name comes from Astyanax, a character in Greek mythology, who was the son of Hector of Troy; a reference to the large silver scales of the type species, resembling armor.^[9]

Taxonomy and systematics

This genus is more or less defined as in 1917 by Carl H. Eigenmann. The lack of comprehensive phylogenetic analyses dealing with this genus is hindering a thorough review and the relationships remain as indeterminate as the monophyly is doubtful. The results of 2020 study using a combination of molecular and morphological data appeared to confirm that Astyanax is not monophyletic and suggested the creation of two new genera and the resurrection of Psalidodon.^[10]

Species

Astyanax contains the following valid species:^[11]

Synonyms

References