Rhamphichthyidae
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Sand knifefish are freshwater electric fish of the
family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Rhamphichthyidae, from freshwater habitats 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 sout ...
. Just like most part of the members of the Gymnotiformes group, they also have elongated and compressed bodies and electric organs. The long anal fin actually extends from before the pectoral fins to the tip of the tail. There is no dorsal fin. Teeth are absent in the oral jaws and the snout is very long and tubular. The nostrils are very close together. This group is sometimes known as the tubesnout knifefishes for this reason. They are nocturnal and burrow in the sand during the day.


Genera

According to FishBase there are only three genera in this family, but a comprehensive molecular study from 2015 showed that two additional genera belong here (formerly in
Hypopomidae The Hypopomidae are a family of fishes in the order Gymnotiformes known as the bluntnose knifefish. They may also be called grass or leaf knifefishes. These electric fish are not often eaten, of little commercial importance, rarely kept as aqu ...
, marked with stars* in list), and this has been followed by recent authorities. *'' Gymnorhamphichthys'' *'' Hypopygus''* *'' Iracema'' *'' Rhamphichthys'' *'' Steatogenys''*


See also

*
List of fish families This is a list of fish families sorted alphabetically by scientific name. There are 525 families in the list. __NOTOC__ A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z --- ...


References


External links

Fish of South America Ray-finned fish families Weakly electric fish {{Gymnotiformes-stub