| Brycon | |
|---|---|
| |
| Brycon hilarii | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Characidae |
| Subfamily: | Bryconinae |
| Genus: | Brycon J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1844 |
| Type species | |
| Brycon falcatus J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1844
| |
Brycon is a genus of fish in the family Bryconidae and order Characiformes found in freshwater habitats in Central and South America, ranging from southern Mexico to northern Argentina.[1] Despite not being closely related to true trout, they are sometimes called South American trout.[2] Members of the genus may be referred to by a number of other different common names in various languages. They reach a maximum length of 11.9–79.5 cm (4.7–31.3 in) depending on the species involved.[1] Some species perform seasonal breeding migrations.[3]
They feed heavily on fruits and seeds, but also take other plant material, invertebrates and small fish.[4][5] Their food is typically taken from the water, but they are able to jump out of the water to "pluck" low-hanging seeds and fruits directly from trees.[2] Some seeds are crushed when eaten, but may also pass undamaged through the fish, making them seed dispersers.[2][4][5]
Brycon support important fisheries and based on a review by IBAMA, they are the fifth most caught fish by weight in the Brazilian Amazon.[3]
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Brycon". FishBase. October 2016 version.
- ^ a b c "Brycons". British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 December 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
- ^ a b Araujo-Lima, C.A.R.M.; and M.L. Ruffino (2003). Migratory Fishes of the Brazilian Amazon. Pp. 233—302 in: Carolsfeld, J.; B. Harvey; C. Ross; and A. Baer (editors). Migratory Fishes of South America. ISBN 0-9683958-2-1
- ^ a b Goulding, M (1980). The Fishes and the Forest: Explorations in Amazonian Natural History. University of California Press. pp. 68–100. ISBN 0-520-04131-3.
- ^ a b Reysa, P.; Sabino, J.; Galetti, M. (2009). "Frugivory by the fish Brycon hilarii (Characidae) in western Brazil". Acta Oecologica. 35 (1): 136–141. Bibcode:2009AcO....35..136R. doi:10.1016/j.actao.2008.09.007.