Family: ANABLEPIDAE, Foureyes, Four Eyes
very elongate
eye divided horizontally, raised on top of head
eye divided horizontally, raised on top of head
D well behind A
pelvics behind pectoral tip
with male sex organ
FAMILY ANABLEPIDAE
FOUR EYES
Body elongate; head depressed at front; mouth protractile; eye horizontally divided (in Anableps), raised above top of head (in the genus in our area); fins without spines; dorsal fin short (7-10), far back on body, well behind anal fin; pectoral fin low on side; pelvic fins on the abdomen, distinctly behind tip of pectoral fin; fertilization internal, male with sex-organ derived from anal fin (in the genus in our area).
This small family includes about 15 species of three genera; fresh to brackish water fishes. Two south American species of one genus enter the southern limits of our region.
PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON, AFTER GHEDOTTI (2002)
