''Microphilypnus'' 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 ...

of small fishes in the family

Eleotridae Eleotridae is a family of fish commonly known as sleeper gobies, with about 34 genera and 180 species. Most species are found in the tropical Indo-Pacific region, but there are also species in subtropical and temperate regions, warmer parts of th ...

native to the

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...

and

Orinoco The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3 percent of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the wor ...

basins in

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. At up to in

standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish m ...

, they are among the smallest sleeper gobies, but however larger than the ''

Leptophilypnion ''Leptophilypnion'' is a genus of tiny fishes in the family Eleotridae endemism, endemic to the Amazon Basin in South America. At less than in standard length they are the smallest sleeper gobies and among the smallest fish. The larger ''Microph ...

'' sleeper gobies from the same region.Roberts, T.R. (2013): ''Leptophilypnion'', a new genus with two new species of tiny central Amazonian gobioid fishes (Teleostei, Eleotridae). ''aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, 19 (2): 85-98.'' The bottom-dwelling ''Microphilypnus'' are typically found in shallow water among leaf-litter or partially buried in sand,Carvalho, L.N.; J. Zuanon; and I. Sazima (2006). The almost invisible league: crypsis and association between minute fishes and shrimps as a possible defence against visually hunting predators. Neotrop. Ichthyol. 4(2). and they can be very abundant in their habitat.Amazonian Fish
Gobiformes.
Retrieved 23 September 2017. Their small size combined with a speckled and semi-transparent appearance makes them highly cryptic. They somewhat resemble certain freshwater shrimp (''

Palaemonetes ''Palaemonetes'', its common names include glass shrimp, ghost shrimp, feeder shrimp, is a genus of caridean shrimp comprising a geographically diverse group of fresh water, brackish and marine crustaceans. Conventionally, ''Palaemonetes'' i ...

'' and ''

Pseudopalaemon ''Pseudopalaemon'' is a genus of shrimps belonging to the family Palaemonidae. The species of this genus are found in Southern America. Species: *''Pseudopalaemon amazonensis'' *''Pseudopalaemon bouvieri'' *''Pseudopalaemon chryseus'' *''Pse ...

''), as well as '' Priocharax'' characins, and they sometimes group together. ''Microphilypnus'' feed on tiny invertebrates.

Species

The recognized species in this genus are: * '' Microphilypnus acangaquara'' Caires & J. L. de Figueiredo, 2011 * ''

Microphilypnus amazonicus ''Microphilypnus'' is a genus of small fishes in the family Eleotridae native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. At up to in standard length, they are among the smallest sleeper gobies, but however larger than the ''Leptophilypni ...

'' G. S. Myers, 1927 * '' Microphilypnus macrostoma'' G. S. Myers, 1927 * ''

Microphilypnus tapajosensis ''Microphilypnus'' is a genus of small fishes in the family Eleotridae native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. At up to in standard length, they are among the smallest sleeper gobies, but however larger than the ''Leptophilypni ...

'' Caires, 2013Caires, R.A. (2013): ''Microphilypnus tapajosensis'', a new species of eleotridid from the Tapajós basin, Brazil (Gobioidei: Eleotrididae). ''Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 24 (2): 155-160.'' * '' Microphilypnus ternetzi'' G. S. Myers, 1927

References

Eleotridae {{Gobiiformes-stub