Melanorivulus
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| Melanorivulus | |
|---|---|
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| Melanorivulus nigromarginatus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
| Family: | Rivulidae |
| Genus: | Melanorivulus W. J. E. M. Costa, 2006 |
| Type species | |
| Rivulus punctatus | |
Melanorivulus is a genus of South American freshwater fishes in the family Rivulidae. Most species are endemic to the Río de la Plata, eastern Amazon (west to Tapajós basin), Tocantins–Araguaia and São Francisco basins in Brazil, but a few members of this genus range west into Bolivia, south into Paraguay and Argentina, and east to Parnaíba and Sergipe in northeastern Brazil. Only M. schuncki occurs north of the Amazon River.[2][3][4][5] They inhabit shallow waters, generally 5–30 cm (2–12 in) deep, at the margins of streams in open or fairly open habitats like the Cerrado or Cerrado–Amazon transition.[5] Many have tiny ranges and are seriously threatened.[6]
Similar to closely related genera such as Anablepsoides, Atlantirivulus, Cynodonichthys and Laimosemion, Melanorivulus are jumpers and non-annual killifish.[7][8][9]
Melanorivulus are small fish, with the largest species up 5 cm (2.0 in) in total length and the smallest less than 2 cm (0.8 in).[3][10] They are often quite colorful and some are kept in aquariums.[3][5]