Classification / Names
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Teleostei (teleosts) >
Characiformes (Characins) >
Acestrorhamphidae (American tetras) > Acestrorhamphinae
Etymology: Astyanax: The name of Astyanax, Hector´s son in the Greek mythology (Ref. 45335); tehuacanensis: Named for its type locality, Río Salado south of Tehuacán in central Mexico. An adjective.
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 Ameica: endemic to the Río Salado (Gulf of Mexico versant), south of Tehuacán in central Mexico.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 118583)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal soft rays: 18 - 23; Vertebrae: 32 - 33. Astyanax tehuacanensis is distinguished from other congenes in central Mexico by the following characters: rays on anal fin, mean fewer than 24 (vs. mean 24 or more in A. aeneus); total gill rakers, mean fewer than 20 (vs. mean 22 or more in A. finitimus); head shorter, mean 21.9% SL (vs. mean 23.8% or more); snout shorter, mean 3.3% SL (vs mean 4.2% or more); interorbital, mean 8% SL (mean 9-10% SL in A. acatlanensis and A. mexicanus); pectoral fin shorter, mean 19.3% SL (vs. mean ca. 21% in A. acatlanensis and A. mexicanus); anterior fontanel longer (vs. shorter); infraorbital II, triangular with an angled base (vs. base convex in A. acatlanensis, A. aeneus and A. mexicanus); epibranchial III, distal segment straight (vs. curved in A. finitimus and A. mexicanus); first dorsal pterygiophore, dorsal edge angled (vs. curved in A. mexicanus) (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
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