Compsaraia samueli Albert & Crampton, 2009
Pelican Knifefish
photo by JJPhoto

Family:  Apteronotidae (Ghost knifefishes), subfamily: Apteronotinae
Max. size:  22.6 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Brazil. Known from the western Amazon River basin of Peru and Brazil. Collection localities are in the Rio Amazonas, near Iquitos, Peru, the Rio Solimões below the confluence of the Rio Purus, Brazil, and the lower Rio Iça of Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Compsaraia samueli differs unambiguously from C. compsa by the presence of the following character states:more caudal-fin rays (17–18 [mode 18] vs. 13–16 [mode 14]); a shorter caudal peduncle (CP/LEA = 9% [0–23%] vs. 34% [18–46%]); a less tapering body shape in lateral profile, in which the ratio of body depth measurements at the anal fin and dorsal organ origins is greater (93% [80–116%] vs. 75% [67–82%]); and a smaller body size (minimum size at sexual maturity 144 mm [vs. 165 mm], maximum total length of 230 mm [vs. 305 mm]). Compsaraia samueli may be further distinguished from C. compsa by secondary sexual dimorphisms in several features of snout and jaw morphology (Ref. 80384).
Biology:  Electric organ discharge known from two sexually mature females and three sexually mature males. The two female specimens exhibited a lower Fo (1.242–1.243 kHz) than the three male specimens (1.337, 1.387 and 1.396 kHz) (Ref. 80384).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 21 July 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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