Ichthyoelephas | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Characiformes |
Family: | Prochilodontidae |
Genus: | Ichthyoelephas Posada, 1909 |
Ichthyoelephas is a genus of South American freshwater fish from the family Prochilodontidae.[1]
There are two species in the genus: I. humeralis reaches a length of at least 40 cm (1.3 ft) and is found in the Santiago and Guayas river basins in Ecuador,[2] and I. longirostris reaches a length of 80 cm (2.6 ft) and is found in the Cauca–Magdalena river basin in Colombia.[3]
They feed on algae and detritus that are taken off rocks with their fleshy lips.[4][5] They are commercially important food fish.[4][5]