Ruby tetra
| Ruby tetra | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Acestrorhamphidae |
| Genus: | Axelrodia |
| Species: | A. riesei
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| Binomial name | |
| Axelrodia riesei Géry, 1965
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The ruby tetra (Axelrodia riesei) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acestrorhamphidae, the American tetras. This fish is found in northern South America.
Taxonomy
[edit]The ruby tetra was first formally described in 1965 by the French ichthyologist Jacques Géry with its type locality given as the Upper Río Meta basin, east of Villavicencio in Colombia.[2] The monospecific genus Axelrodia was proposed by Géry in 1965 with Hyphessobrycon stigmatus as its only species, Géry also designated it as the type species.[3] The genus Axelrodia is classified within the subfamily Megalamphodinae of the family Acestrorhamphidae, the American tetras, within the [3] which is classified in the suborder Characoidei of the order Characiformes.[4]
Etymology
[edit]The ruby tetra is the type species of the genus Axelrodia, and has the specific name reisei. The genus name honours the aquarist and publisher Herbert R. Axelrod while the specific name honours William Riese, an exporter of tropical fish, the two people who collected the holotype of this species.[5]
Description
[edit]The ruby tetra is a small fish with a maximum standard length of 2.5 cm (0.98 in). The dominant colour of this species is ruby red but this fades in captivity.[6] This species can be told apart from A. stigmatias by having 14 or 15 rays in the anal fin, between 7 and 10 premaxillary teeth and 4 or 5 maxillary teeth and its standard length being over 3 times the depth of the body.[7]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]The ruby tetra is found in northern South America in the upper Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela. It may also occur in the upper Rio Negro in Brazil but this requires confirmation. This species prefers small tributaries.[1]
Utilisation
[edit]The ruby tetra is a popular fish with aquarists and is traded in the aquarium trade.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Lima, F. (2023). "Axelrodia riesei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T164583178A164583187. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T164583178A164583187.en. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Axelrodia". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ a b Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Acestrorhamphidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ Richard van der Laan; William N. Eschmeyer; Ronald Fricke. "Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes Classification". Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf (16 June 2025). "Family ACESTRORHAMPHIDAE Eigenmann 1907 (American Tetras)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Axelrodia reisei". FishBase. April 2025 version.
- ^ "Axelrodia riesei GÉRY, 1966 Ruby Tetra". Seriously Fish. Retrieved 1 July 2025.