''Oligosarcus'' 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 ...

characin 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 ...

s from freshwater habitats in northern

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

, eastern

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

, and southern and central Brazil (

South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...

, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predators that mainly feed on smaller fish.

Species

There are currently 22 recognized species in this genus: * '' Oligosarcus acutirostris'' Menezes, 1987 * ''

Oligosarcus amome ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' Almirón, Casciotta, Piálek, Doubnerová & Říčan, 2015Almirón, A., Casciotta, J., Piálek, L., Doubnerová, K. & Říčan, O. (2015): ''Oligosarcus amome'' (Ostariophysi: Characidae), a new species from the río Uruguay basin, Misiones, Argentina. ''Zootaxa, 3915 (4): 581–590.'' * ''

Oligosarcus argenteus ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' Günther, 1864 * '' Oligosarcus bolivianus'' ( Fowler, 1940) * ''

Oligosarcus brevioris ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' Menezes, 1987 * ''

Oligosarcus hepsetus ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' (

G. Cuvier Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric, Baron Cuvier (; 23 August 1769 – 13 May 1832), known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology". Cuvier was a major figure in nat ...

, 1829) * ''

Oligosarcus itau ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' Mirande, Aguilera & Azpelicueta, 2011 * ''

Oligosarcus jacuiensis ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' Menezes & A. C. Ribeiro, 2010 * ''

Oligosarcus jenynsii ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' ( Günther, 1864) * ''

Oligosarcus longirostris ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' Menezes & Géry, 1983 * ''

Oligosarcus macrolepis ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' (

Steindachner Franz Steindachner (11 November 1834 in Vienna – 10 December 1919 in Vienna) was an Austrian zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist. He published over 200 papers on fishes and over 50 papers on reptiles and amphibians. Steindachner describ ...

, 1877) * '' Oligosarcus menezesi'' Miquelarena & Protogino, 1996 * ''

Oligosarcus oligolepis ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' (

, 1867) * ''

Oligosarcus paranensis ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' Menezes & Géry, 1983 * '' Oligosarcus perdido'' A. C. Ribeiro, Cavallaro & Froehlich, 2007 * '' Oligosarcus pintoi'' Amaral Campos, 1945 * '' Oligosarcus planaltinae'' Menezes & Géry, 1983 * '' Oligosarcus platensis'' (

Messner Messner is a surname. It is an occupational name of Austro-Bavarian origin, in which dialect it means sacristan/Sexton (office), sexton. People with the name Messner include: * Carrie Messner (born 1977), American long-distance runner * Franz Jos ...

, 1962) * '' Oligosarcus robustus'' Menezes, 1969 * '' Oligosarcus schindleri'' Menezes & Géry, 1983 * ''

Oligosarcus solitarius ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' Menezes, 1987 * ''

Oligosarcus varii ''Oligosarcus'' is a genus of characins from freshwater habitats in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern and central Brazil (South, Southeast and Central-West regions). They reach up to in length and are predat ...

'' Menezes & A. C. Ribeiro, 2015Menezes, N.A. & Ribeiro, A.C. (2015): A new species of the lowland ''Oligosarcus'' Günther species group (Teleostei: Ostariophysi: Characidae). ''Neotropical Ichthyology, 13 (3): 541-546.''

References

Characidae Taxa named by Albert Günther Fish of South America {{Characiformes-stub