Brycon

Brycon; Temporal range: Oligocene to present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
	Brycon hilarii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Characiformes
Family:	Bryconidae
Subfamily:	Bryconinae
Genus:	Brycon; J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1844
Type species
	Brycon falcatus; J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1844
Synonyms
	Chalcinopsis Kner, 1863 ; Megalobrycon Günther, 1869 ; Catabasis C. H. Eigenmann & A. A. Norris, 1900 ; Othonophanes C. H. Eigenmann, 1903 ; Bryconodon C. H. Eigenmann, 1903 ; Triurobrycon C. H. Eigenmann, 1909 ; Holobrycon C. H. Eigenmann, 1909 ;

Brycon is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging the family Bryconidae, and order Characiformes. The fishes in this genus are found in Central and South America, ranging from southern Mexico to northern Argentina.^[2] Despite not being closely related to true trout, they are sometimes called South American trout.^[3] 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.^[2] Some species perform seasonal breeding migrations.^[4]

Quick facts Scientific classification, Type species ...

They feed heavily on fruits and seeds, but also take other plant material, invertebrates and small fish.^[5]^[6] 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.^[3] Some seeds are crushed when eaten, but may also pass undamaged through the fish, making them seed dispersers.^[3]^[5]^[6]

Brycon support important fisheries and based on a review by IBAMA, they are the fifth most caught fish by weight in the Brazilian Amazon.^[4]

One fossil member of this genus is known in †Brycon avus (Woodward, 1898) from the Oligocene-aged Tremembé Formation of Brazil.^[7]^[8] A slightly older potential specimen of B. avus is also known from the Late Eocene/Early Oligocene of the Aiuruoca Basin.^[9]

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Brycon

Species

References

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