Issue
No recent review of the genus, studies of types and consideration of type localities suggest that there is just the one species, Copeina guttata. Myers, 1956: 12, noted that "Steindachner’s figures are erroneously labeled and should be reversed", thus figs. 6 and 5a are correct for Copeina guttata, figs. 5 and 6a for Copella nattereri. Eschmeyer, 1998:694; Vari and Howe, 1991:36; Ortega and Vari, 1986:10.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical; 23°C - 28°C (Ref. 1672)
South America: middle Amazon River basin.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.6 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 37104)
Feeds on worms, insects and small crustaceans (Ref. 7020).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
In captivity at spawning time, after some vigorous driving and prodding of the female, male comes alongside and slightly below the female. Male then pushes an open pocket (formed using his anal fin) below the genital opening of the female; female releases eggs into the pocket and male fertilizes them and allows them to drop into a small pit in the sand that he has previously made. Male fans the eggs with his fins until hatching, in about 24 hours, and continues to guard the fry until they are free-swimming (Ref. 7020).
Weitzman, M. and S.H. Weitzman, 2003. Lebiasinidae (Pencil fishes). p. 241-251. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil. (Ref. 37104)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00977 (0.00396 - 0.02410), b=3.19 (2.98 - 3.40), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.33 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec = 100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
