Prochilodontidae

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Prochilodontidae
Prochilodus lineatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Suborder: Characoidei
Family: Prochilodontidae
C. H. Eigenmann, 1909[1]
Genera

see text

The Prochilodontidae, the bocachicos or flannel-mouthed characins, are a small family of freshwater fishes found primarily in the northern half of South America, south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. This family is closely related to the Curimatidae, and in the past they were included in Characidae.

These fish have fleshy lips with rows of small teeth; their lips are able to be extended into a sucking disc. The largest species reach up to 80 cm (2.6 ft) in length, and live in huge schools, making them a popular food fish. They travel upriver to spawn, and make audible grunting noises that have been described as resembling the sound of a motorbike.[2]

Genera

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Prochilodontidae contains the following genera:[3]

References

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  1. ^ Richard van der Laan; William N. Eschmeyer & Ronald Fricke (2014). "Family-group names of recent fishes". Zootaxa. 3882 (2): 1–230. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1. PMID 25543675.
  2. ^ Weitzman, S.H. & Vari, R.P. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 104. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
  3. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Prochilodontidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
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