Characidae - Brycon dentex Gunther, 1860 |
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| SOURCE FOR OCCURRENCE IN ECUADOR: This species is very common in the Guayas River drainage and Esmeraldas River. There are many references for its occurrence in the area (e.g., Eigenmann, 1922; Bohlke, 1958; Ovchynnyk, 1971; Barnhill et al., 1974; Gery, 1977; Glodek, 1978; Howes, 1982; Barriga, 1991; Florencio, 1993; Laaz et al., 2009; Prado, 2009; Revelo, 2010; Laaz & Torres, 2010). |
| ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: Gunther, A. 1860. Third list of cold-blooded vertebrata collected by Mr. Fraser in Ecuador. Proceedings of the General Meetings for Scientific Business of the Zoological Society of London 1860 (pt 2): 233-240, Pl. 10. |
| TYPE SPECIMENS: |
| TAXONOMIC STATUS: Valid (Eschmeyer and Fricke, 2011). |
| RANGE ECUADOR: Pacific drainages of Ecuador (Howes, 1982). |
| RANGE OUTSIDE OF ECUADOR: None |
| COLLECTIONS IN ECUADOR: |
| MAXIMUM SIZE: 39.4 cm (Barnhill et al., 1974). |
| DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Brycon dentex is distinguished from other species in the genus occurring in western Ecuador by a long snout which projects well beyond the lower jaw, leaving nearly all the upper jaw teeth exposed. The outer row teeth are not covered by the lip. The premaxillary has a wide dentigerous surface with the teeth arranged in four rows (Howes, 1982). The long, projecting snout of Brycon dentex distinguishes it from B. atrocaudatus, which has a short snout. The number of anal fin rays allow it to be distinguished from the other species of Brycon in the area. Brycon dentex typically has iv31-iv32 anal fin elements while B. oligolepis typically has iv25-iv28 anal fin elements and B. alburnus typically has iv28-iv30 anal fin elements (Howes, 1982). |
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Top: Brycon alburnus. Middle: Brycon atrocaudatus. Bottom: Brycon dentex. Note differences in body shape and head shape, particularly snout length and dentition. Brycon alburnus has a long snout with large teeth, including canine like teeth. Brycon atrocaudatus has a snout of intermediate length with regular peg-like teeth. Brycon dentex has a short snout with small teeth. All specimens were purchased from fishermen in Santa Rosa, El Oro Province, southwestern Ecuador.
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| ECOLOGY: Brycon dentex is known in Ecuador as the "dama". It is a large, ecologically important omnivorous fish that feeds on insects, fruits, plant debris, fish, and shrimp (Barnhill et al., 1974). |
| ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: This is an important food fish for people in rural parts of western Ecuador (Revelo, 2010). |
| CONSERVATION STATUS: NA, although the species is heavily exploited as a food species. |
| LINK TO FISHBASE PAGE: Click here for link |
| SPECIES PROFILE CREATED BY: Enrique Laaz |
| SPECIES PROFILE CONTRIBUTORS: Windsor Aguirre |
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