ghost knifefishes
Black Ghost Knifefish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Gymnotiformes Family: Apteronotidae
Genera Adonosternarchus Apteronotus Compsaraia Magosternarchus Megadontognathus Orthosternarchus Parapteronotus Platyurosternarchus Porotergus Sternarchogiton Sternarchella Sternarchorhamphus Sternarchorchynchus

The ghost knifefishes are a family (Apteronotidae) of knifefishes. They are distinguished from other gymnotiform fish by the presence of a caudal fin, and can be found in the neotropical regions of South America.

The Black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons) and Brown ghost knifefish (Apteronotus leptorhynchus) are readily available as aquarium fish.

A number of additional species have been discovered recently, and many more are expected to be found.

Genus Adontosternarchus:

• Adontosternarchus balaenops
• Adontosternarchus clarkae
• Adontosternarchus devenanzii
• Adontosternarchus sachsi

Genus Apteronotus:

• Black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons)
• Apteronotus apurensis
• Apteronotus bonapartii
• Apteronotus brasiliensis
• Apteronotus cuchillejo
• Apteronotus cuchillo
• Apteronotus ellisi
• Apteronotus jurubidae
• Brown ghost knifefish (Apteronotus leptorhynchus)
• Apteronotus macrolepis
• Apteronotus macrostomus
• Apteronotus magdalenensis
• Apteronotus marauna
• Apteronotus mariae
• Apteronotus rostratus
• Apteronotus spurrellii

Genus Compsaraia:

• Compsaraia compsus

Genus Magosternarchus:

• Magosternarchus duccis
• Magosternarchus raptor

Genus Megadontognathus:

• Megadontognathus cuyuniense
• Megadontognathus kaitukaensis

Genus Orthosternarchus:

• Orthosternarchus tamandua

Genus Parapteronotus:

• Parapteronotus hasemani

Genus Platyurosternarchus:

• Platyurosternarchus macrostomus

Genus Porotergus:

• Porotergus gimbeli
• Porotergus gymnotus

Genus Sternarchella:

• Sternarchella curvioperculata
• Sternarchella orthos
• Sternarchella schotti
• Sternarchella sima
• Sternarchella terminalis

Genus Sternarchogiton:

• Sternarchogiton nattereri
• Sternarchogiton porcinum

Genus Sternarchorhamphus:

• Sternarchorhamphus muelleri

Genus Sternarchorhynchus:

• Sternarchorhynchus britskii
• Sternarchorhynchus curvirostris
• Sternarchorhynchus mesensis
• Sternarchorhynchus mormyrus
• Sternarchorhynchus oxyrhynchus
• Rosen knifefish (Sternarchorhynchus roseni)

External link

• FishBase entry for Apteronotidae (http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/FamilySummary.cfm?ID=545)