Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Characiformes (Characins) >
Acestrorhamphidae (American tetras) > Acestrorhamphinae
Etymology: Astyanax: The name of Astyanax, Hector´s son in the Greek mythology (Ref. 45335); ocotal: Named for the type locality, Laguna Ocotal. A noun in apposition.
Eponymy: Astyanax was the son of Hector in Greek mythology. See Homer’s Iliad for details. The reasoning for its use for a genus of characins is not explained. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
Central America: Lakes Ocotal and Metzabok, and Río Tulijá in northern Chiapas, Mexico.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 10.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 118583)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal soft rays: 22 - 24; Vertebrae: 31. Astyanax ocotal is distinguished from other congeners in the region by the following characters: head length, 29-33% SL (vs. 22- 28% in A. angustifrons and A. finitimus, to 30% in A. aeneus); anal-fin base length, 26% SL or less (vs. 26% or more in A. aeneus and A. finitimus); lower-limb gill rakers in first arch, 15-16 (vs. 14 or fewer in A. angustifrons and A. finitimus); urohyal, ventral apex closer to caudal end (vs. about equidistant between rostral and caudal ends in A. finitimus); epibranchial III, distal segment straight (vs. curved in A. finitimus); preopercle with divergent canals at angle (vs. canals parallel in A. angustifrons); coracoid with 4-5 interdigitations in suture to cleithrum (vs. 2-3 in A. angustifrons) (Ref. 118583).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Schmitter-Soto, J.J., 2017. A revision of Astyanax (Characiformes: Characidae) in Central and North America, with the description of nine new species. J. Nat. Hist. 51(23/24):1-94. (Ref. 118583)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources