Acestrorhynchus

Acestrorhynchus is a genus within the family Acestrorhynchidae or the Smallscale Pike Characins. In 1903 the name was established by C.H. Eigenmann and C.H. Kennedy.

The name Acestrorhynchus can be broken down into two ancient Greek words. Akestra means needle and rhyngchos means jaw. A reference to the teeth of this family. They are also called freshwater barracudas.

This genus has 14 species:

• Acestrorhynchus falcatus
• Acestrorhynchus falcirostris
• Acestrorhynchus microlepis
• Acestrorhynchus lacustris
• Acestrorhynchus abbreviatus
• Acestrorhynchus heterolepis
• Acestrorhynchus nasutus
• Acestrorhynchus altus
• Acestrorhynchus britskii
• Acestrorhynchus minimus
• Acestrorhynchus grandoculis
• Acestrorhynchus isalineae
• Acestrorhynchus maculipinna
• Acestrorhynchus pantaneiro

Diet

The diet of the species within the genus Acestrorhynchus consists mainly of fish. The other genera in this family are more specialized in eating insects and the like.

Origin

You can find Acestrorhynchus in South America, most species inhabit the Amazon and Rio Orinoco drainage.