The scientists responsible for the discovery are: Zuanon Jansen from the "Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (Inpa)"; Christina Cox, Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, and John Sullivan, the Museum of Vertebrates at Cornell University — the last two in the United States.
The authors described two new, closely related species of toothed Brachyhypopomus (Hypopomidae: Gymnotiformes: Teleostei) from the central Amazon basin and create a new subgenus for them: Odontohypopomus, new subgenus of Brachyhypopomus. This species’ preference for floating meadow habitat along the major channels of the Amazon River basin may put it at particularly high risk of predation and “tail grazing.”
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| Female of electric fish Brachyhypopomus bennetti' |
The animals, of the genus Brachyhypopomus, occur in general under the floating vegetation in the waters of the central portion of the Amazon basin, mostly along the banks of the Solimões River and tributaries.
The fish are classified as "electrically weak" and does not represent risk compared with a "relative", the so-called fish electric eel (Electrophorus electricus), which has three meters in length and carries strong electrical discharges to defend or capture prey.
The newly discovered animals possibly use their electrical discharges as a way to help in .night drive and in communication with other specimens.
The species Brachyhypopomus walteri has semi-translucid body with yellow colouring. And the other species, Brachyhypopomus bennetti, has the most visible electric organ on the side, in a semitransparent area.
The biggest differences between the two species, which are very similar, have to do with electric organs and discharges created for them. The Brachyhypopomus bennetti has a flattened electric organ, which produces a single-phase electrical discharge; while the fish of other species has a long, thin electric organ, most commonly to be seen, and produces an electrical biphasic pulse.
The biggest differences between the two species, which are very similar, have to do with electric organs and discharges created for them. The Brachyhypopomus bennetti has a flattened electric organ, which produces a single-phase electrical discharge; while the fish of other species has a long, thin electric organ, most commonly to be seen, and produces an electrical biphasic pulse.
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