Arnoldichthys
Species of fish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arnoldichthys is monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Lepidarchidae, the African tetras. The only species in the genus is Arnoldichthys spilopterus, the Niger tetra. This taxon is endemic to Nigeria.
| Arnoldichthys | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Lepidarchidae |
| Genus: | Arnoldichthys G. S. Myers, 1926 |
| Species: | A. spilopterus |
| Binomial name | |
| Arnoldichthys spilopterus (Boulenger, 1909) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Description and ecology
Arnoldichthys is a tropical freshwater species found only in a limited number of locations in Nigeria (Ogun River and Niger River).[1] Males are on average 9.6 centimetres (3.8 in) long. Its diet consists of worms, insects, and, crustaceans. Females in captivity can lay about 1,000 eggs, which hatch within 30–34 hours.[2]
Conservation
Arnoldichthys is currently classified as endangered by the IUCN due to its limited range coupled with losses to the aquarium trade and ongoing habitat degradation.[1]
