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Brasilia pearlfish (Simpsonichthys boitonei) — Rivulidae

Brasilia pearlfish

Simpsonichthys boitonei
Family: Rivulidae

The Brasilia pearlfish (Simpsonichthys boitonei) is a freshwater fish of the family Rivulidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
5.5 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Brasilia pearlfish is a small, annual killifish (Rivulidae) from temporary pools of the cerrado plateau around Brasilia in central Brazil. The species grows to about 6 cm; males are bright blue with red spots and lyre-shaped fins, females plain brown. It lives in rain pools that dry out in the dry season: the adults die, but the eggs survive dry in the mud and hatch with the next rains. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Brasilia pearlfish?

The Brasilia pearlfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly blue and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Brasilia pearlfish live?

The Brasilia pearlfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom.

How big does the Brasilia pearlfish get?

The Brasilia pearlfish grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Brasilia pearlfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Brasilia pearlfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Brasilia pearlfish edible?

Yes, the Brasilia pearlfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Brasilia-parelkarper sourced
English name
Brasilia pearlfish sourced
Scientific name
Simpsonichthys boitonei
Family
Rivulidae
Other names
Lyrefin pearlfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
5.5 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Blue sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Rivulidae

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