''Hepsetus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n fishes, the African pikes or African pike characins, in the order

Characiformes Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.; Buckup P.A.: "Relationshi ...

. It is the sole genus in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Hepsetidae. It was long believed that only a single widespread species existed, ''H. odoe'', but studies in 2011–2013 have shown that this species is restricted to parts of

West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...

and

Central Africa Central Africa is a subregion of the African continent comprising various countries according to different definitions. Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, ...

. The well-known species of southern Africa, including

Kafue River The Kafue River is the longest river lying wholly within Zambia at about long. Its water is used for irrigation and for hydroelectric power. It is the largest tributary of the Zambezi, and of Zambia's principal rivers, it is the most central ...

, is '' Hepsetus cuvieri''. These predatory fish reach up to in length.

Species

There are currently six recognized species in this genus: * '' Hepsetus cuvieri'' ( Castelnau, 1861) * ''

Hepsetus kingsleyae ''Hepsetus'' is a genus of African fishes, the African pikes or African pike characins, in the order Characiformes. It is the sole genus in the family Hepsetidae. It was long believed that only a single widespread species existed, ''H. odoe'', b ...

'' Vreven, Decru & Snoeks, 2013 * '' Hepsetus lineatus'' ( Pellegrin, 1926) * '' Hepsetus microlepis'' ( Boulenger, 1901) * '' Hepsetus occidentalis'' Decru, Snoeks & Vreven, 2013 * '' Hepsetus odoe'' (

Bloch Bloch is a surname of German origin. Notable people with this surname include: A–F * (1859-1914), French rabbi *Adele Bloch-Bauer (1881-1925), Austrian entrepreneur *Albert Bloch (1882–1961), American painter * (born 1972), German motor journal ...

, 1794) Synonym: * ''Hepsetus akawo'' Decru, Vreven & Snoeks, 2012 = '' Hepsetus odoe''FishBase: Scientific Names where Genus Equals Hepsetus
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References

Characiformes genera Freshwater fish genera Freshwater fish of Africa Taxa named by William John Swainson {{Characiformes-stub