Alestidae

African tetras (family Alestidae, formerly spelled Alestiidae) are a group of characiform fish found exclusively in Africa.^[2] This family contains about 18 genera and 119 species. Among the best known members are the Congo tetra, and African tigerfish.

Alestidae Temporal range: Late Paleocene to present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Brycinus longipinnis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Characiformes
Suborder:	Characoidei
Family:	Alestidae Cockerell 1910[1]
Genera
See text

Although presently found only in Africa, fossil evidence suggests that during the Paleogene, they ranged as far north as southern Europe and as far east as the Arabian subcontinent.^[3] Fossil remains date back to potentially the Late Paleocene with Hydrocynus remains known from Algeria.^[4] Alestid-like teeth are also known from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of France, and phylogenetic evidence also suggests they diverged around this time.^[5][6]

Taxonomy

Congo tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus)

Hydrocynus goliath, the largest species in the family

Taxonomy based on Van der Laan 2017^[7] and Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (2025):^[8]

• Family Alestidae Cockerell, 1910
  • Genus Alestes Müller & Troschel, 1844
  • Genus Alestion Roberts, 2019
  • Genus Alestopetersius Hoedeman, 1951
  • Genus Bathyaethiops Fowler, 1949
  • Genus Brachyalestes Günther, 1864
  • Genus Brachypetersius Hoedeman, 1956
  • Genus Brycinus Valenciennes, 1850
  • Genus Bryconaethiops Günther, 1873
  • Genus Bryconalestes Hoedeman, 1951
  • Genus Clupeocharax Pellégrin, 1926
  • Genus Hemigrammopetersius
  • Genus Hydrocynus Cuvier, 1816
  • Genus Ladigesia Géry, 1968
  • Genus Micralestes Boulenger, 1899
  • Genus Nannopetersius Hoedeman, 1951
  • Genus Petersius Hilgendorf, 1894
  • Genus Phenacogrammus Eigenmann, 1907
  • Genus Rhabdalestes Hoedeman, 1951
  • Genus Tricuspidalestes Poll, 1967

The following fossil genera are also known:

• Genus †Alestoides Monod & Gaudant, 1998 (Early Eocene of France)^[9]
• Genus †Arabocharax Micklich & Roscher, 1990 (Oligocene of Saudi Arabia)^[3]
• Genus †Bunocharax Van Neer, 1994 (Miocene of Africa)
• Genus †Eurocharax Gaudant, 1980 (?Oligocene of France)^[9]
• Genus ?†Mahengecharax Murray, 2003 (Middle Eocene of Tanzania, taxonomic identity disputed)^[3][9]
• Genus †Sindacharax Greenwood & Howes, 1975 (Miocene of Africa)

The Lepidarchidae, whose two genera were previously placed in this family, have been found to be an ancient group more closely related to the Hepsetidae, and are thus placed in their own family now.^[6]