Venezuela
Checklist of Endemic Freshwater Fish Species
This list of freshwater fish species found exclusively in Venezuela is based on the taxonomy used in FishBase 2004 (2004). For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.
FishBase 2004: a global information system on fishes. DVD. WorldFish Center - Philippine Office, Los Banos, Philippines. Published in May 2004.
The current version of this electronic database is accessible here.
OC = a FishBase occurrence record suggests a specimen from another country outside normal stated range ( these vary widely in reliability from obvious misidentifications to being almost certainly correct)
IN = introduced elsewhere
Acestrorhynchus apurensis (Acestrorhynchidae)
Anostomoides atrianalis OC (Anostomidae)
Gnathodolus bidens OC (Anostomidae)
Laemolyta fernandezi (Anostomidae)
Laemolyta orinocensis OC (Anostomidae)
Leporinus latofasciatus (Anostomidae)
Leporinus punctatus (Anostomidae)
Leporinus steyermarki OC (Anostomidae) Gray Leporinus
Pseudanos irinae OC (Anostomidae)
Schizodon corti (Anostomidae)
Apteronotus apurensis (Apteronotidae)
Apteronotus cuchillejo (Apteronotidae)
Megadontognathus cuyuniense (Apteronotidae)
Sternarchella orthos OC (Apteronotidae)
Acanthobunocephalus nicoi (Aspredinidae)
Ernstichthys anduzei (Aspredinidae)
Hoplomyzon atrizona (Aspredinidae)
Hoplomyzon sexpapilostoma (Aspredinidae)
Xyliphius kryptos (Aspredinidae)
Astroblepus orientalis OC (Astroblepidae)
Astroblepus phelpsi (Astroblepidae)
Atherinella venezuelae OC (Atherinopsidae)
Ageneiosus magoi (Auchenipteridae)
Centromochlus romani (Auchenipteridae)
Entomocorus gameroi (Auchenipteridae) Blue Woodcat
Epapterus blohmi (Auchenipteridae)
Pseudepapterus gracilis (Auchenipteridae)
Tatia galaxias (Auchenipteridae) Milky Way Woodcat
Tatia musaica (Auchenipteridae)
Trachelyopterichthys anduzei (Auchenipteridae)
Trachelyopterus peloichthys (Auchenipteridae)
Corydoras boehlkei (Callichthyidae)
Corydoras concolor (Callichthyidae) Color Cory
Denticetopsis royeroi (Cetopsidae)
Denticetopsis sauli (Cetopsidae)
Helogenes uruyensis (Cetopsidae)
Pseudocetopsis orinoco (Cetopsidae)
Pseudocetopsis praecox (Cetopsidae)
Acestrocephalus ginesi (Characidae)
Aphyocharax colifax (Characidae)
Aphyocharax yekwanae (Characidae)
Astyanax myersi OC (Characidae)
Astyanax scintillans OC (Characidae)
Astyanax superbus (Characidae)
Astyanax venezuelae (Characidae)
Aulixidens eugeniae (Characidae)
Brycon bicolor (Characidae)
Brycon coquenani (Characidae)
Brycon polylepis (Characidae)
Brycon unicolor (Characidae)
Bryconamericus motatanensis OC (Characidae)
Bryconamericus yokiae (Characidae)
Bryconops alburnoides OC (Characidae)
Bryconops colanegra (Characidae)
Bryconops colaroja (Characidae)
Bryconops giacopinii (Characidae)
Bryconops humeralis (Characidae)
Bryconops imitator (Characidae)
Bryconops vibex (Characidae)
Ceratobranchia joanae (Characidae)
Charax apurensis (Characidae)
Charax notulatus (Characidae)
Cheirodontops geayi (Characidae)
Creagrutus crenatus (Characidae)
Creagrutus ephippiatus (Characidae)
Creagrutus gyrospilus (Characidae)
Creagrutus hildebrandi (Characidae)
Creagrutus hysginus (Characidae)
Creagrutus lassoi (Characidae)
Creagrutus lepidus (Characidae)
Creagrutus machadoi (Characidae)
Creagrutus magoi (Characidae)
Creagrutus maracaiboensis (Characidae)
Creagrutus melasma (Characidae)
Creagrutus paralucus OC (Characidae)
Creagrutus provenzanoi (Characidae)
Creagrutus taphorni (Characidae)
Creagrutus veruina (Characidae)
Creagrutus xiphos (Characidae)
Cynopotamus bipunctatus (Characidae)
Cynopotamus venezuelae (Characidae)
Gephyrocharax valencia OC (Characidae) Valencia Tetra
Gephyrocharax venezuelae OC (Characidae) Venezuela Gland-characin
Gymnotichthys hildae (Characidae)
Hemibrycon jabonero OC (Characidae) Jabonero Tetra
Hemigrammus micropterus (Characidae) Yellowtail Tetra
Hemigrammus newboldi (Characidae)
Hyphessobrycon albolineatum (Characidae)
Hyphessobrycon fernandezi (Characidae)
Hyphessobrycon hildae (Characidae)
Hyphessobrycon sovichthys OC (Characidae)
Knodus meridae OC (Characidae)
Markiana geayi OC (Characidae)
Metynnis orinocensis (Characidae)
Moenkhausia miangi (Characidae)
Moenkhausia pittieri OC (Characidae) Diamond Tetra
Mylossoma acanthogaster (Characidae)
Priocharax ariel OC (Characidae)
Pristobrycon careospinus (Characidae)
Pristobrycon maculipinnis (Characidae) Marbled Caribito
Ptychocharax rhyacophila (Characidae)
Pygocentrus palometa (Characidae) Palometa Piranha
Roeboides numerosus (Characidae)
Saccoderma melanostigma (Characidae)
Serrabrycon magoi (Characidae)
Serrasalmus altuvei (Characidae) Altuvei Piranha
Serrasalmus irritans OC (Characidae) Iridescent Piranha
Serrasalmus medinai (Characidae) Medinai Piranha
Serrasalmus nalseni (Characidae) Caribito Pintado
Serrasalmus neveriensis (Characidae) Rio Neveri Piranha
Aequidens chimantanus (Cichlidae)
Apistogramma guttata (Cichlidae)
Apistogramma hoignei OC (Cichlidae)
Cichla intermedia OC (Cichlidae)
Crenicichla geayi OC (Cichlidae) Halfbanded Pike Cichlid
Geophagus abalios (Cichlidae)
Geophagus grammepareius (Cichlidae)
Geophagus taeniopareius (Cichlidae) Yellow Cheek-bar Eartheater
Satanoperca mapiritensis (Cichlidae) Orinoco Satanoperca
Characidium chupa OC (Crenuchidae)
Leptocharacidium omospilus (Crenuchidae)
Melanocharacidium compressus (Crenuchidae)
Melanocharacidium melanopteron (Crenuchidae)
Curimata cerasina (Curimatidae)
Curimata incompta (Curimatidae)
Cyphocharax aspilos OC (Curimatidae)
Cyphocharax meniscaprorus (Curimatidae)
Cyphocharax oenas (Curimatidae)
Potamorhina laticeps OC (Curimatidae)
Gilbertolus maracaiboensis (Cynodontidae)
Agamyxis albomaculatus OC (Doradidae) Spiny Catfish
Amblydoras bolivarensis (Doradidae)
Megalodoras guayoensis (Doradidae) Sierra Conchua
Orinocodoras eigenmanni (Doradidae) Longnose Raphael Catfish
Microphilypnus ternetzi (Eleotridae)
Anchoa argenteus (Engraulidae)
Lycengraulis limnichthys (Engraulidae)
Hoplias teres (Erythrinidae)
Gobiosoma schultzi (Gobiidae)
Gymnotus stenoleucus OC (Gymnotidae) Sixteen-banded Knifefish
Hyporhamphus brederi OC (Hemiramphidae)
Brachyglanis magoi (Heptapteridae)
Brachyrhamdia imitator OC (Heptapteridae) False Corydoras
Cetopsorhamdia picklei (Heptapteridae)
Chasmocranus chimantanus OC (Heptapteridae)
Phenacorhamdia anisura (Heptapteridae)
Pimelodella cruxenti (Heptapteridae)
Pimelodella linami (Heptapteridae)
Pimelodella tapatapae (Heptapteridae)
Rhamdia humilis OC (Heptapteridae)
Brachyhypopomus diazi (Hypopomidae)
Racenisia fimbriipinna (Hypopomidae)
Lebiasina provenzanoi (Lebiasinidae)
Lebiasina uruyensis (Lebiasinidae)
Lebiasina yuruaniensis (Lebiasinidae)
Acestridium dichromum (Loricariidae)
Acestridium martini OC (Loricariidae)
Ancistrus bodenhameri (Loricariidae)
Ancistrus brevifilis (Loricariidae)
Ancistrus galani (Loricariidae)
Ancistrus gymnorhynchus OC (Loricariidae)
Ancistrus macrophthalmus (Loricariidae)
Ancistrus martini OC (Loricariidae)
Aphanotorulus ammophilus (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma anomalum OC (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma dorsale OC (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma dupouii (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma guairense (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma machiquense (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma nudirostre OC (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma pearsei (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma sovichthys (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma stannii (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma tachiraense (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma vasquezi (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma venezuelae (Loricariidae)
Chaetostoma yurubiense (Loricariidae)
Cordylancistrus perijae (Loricariidae)
Cordylancistrus torbesensis (Loricariidae)
Dekeyseria niveata OC (Loricariidae)
Dentectus barbarmatus (Loricariidae)
Dolichancistrus cobrensis (Loricariidae)
Exastilithoxus fimbriatus OC (Loricariidae)
Farlowella acus OC (Loricariidae) Whiptail Catfish
Farlowella curtirostra (Loricariidae)
Farlowella mariaelenae OC (Loricariidae)
Farlowella martini (Loricariidae)
Farlowella taphorni (Loricariidae)
Farlowella venezuelensis (Loricariidae)
Hemiancistrus maracaiboensis (Loricariidae)
Hypancistrus inspector (Loricariidae)
Hypostomus taphorni (Loricariidae)
Lamontichthys llanero OC (Loricariidae)
Lamontichthys maracaibero (Loricariidae)
Lasiancistrus maracaiboensis (Loricariidae)
Lasiancistrus mystacinus OC (Loricariidae)
Lasiancistrus nationi (Loricariidae)
Liposarcus multiradiatus OC IN (Loricariidae) Orinoco Sailfin Catfish
Lithogenes valencia (Loricariidae)
Neblinichthys pilosus (Loricariidae)
Neblinichthys roraima (Loricariidae)
Niobichthys ferrarisi (Loricariidae)
Panaque maccus (Loricariidae) Clown Panaque
Panaque suttonorum (Loricariidae) Blue-eye Panaque
Parotocinclus eppleyi OC (Loricariidae)
Parotocinclus polyochrus (Loricariidae)
Peckoltia yaravi (Loricariidae)
Pseudancistrus coquenani (Loricariidae)
Pseudolithoxus anthrax (Loricariidae)
Pseudolithoxus dumus (Loricariidae)
Pseudolithoxus nicoi (Loricariidae)
Pseudolithoxus tigris (Loricariidae)
Pterygoplichthys zuliaensis (Loricariidae)
Rineloricaria caracasensis (Loricariidae)
Rineloricaria eigenmanni (Loricariidae) Eigenmann's Whiptail Catfish
Rineloricaria rupestris (Loricariidae)
Spatuloricaria lagoichthys (Loricariidae)
Spatuloricaria phelpsi (Loricariidae)
Squaliforma villarsi (Loricariidae)
Sturisoma festivum (Loricariidae)
Sturisoma kneri (Loricariidae)
Sturisoma tenuirostre OC (Loricariidae)
Apareiodon orinocensis (Parodontidae)
Poecilia dauli (Poeciliidae)
Poecilia heterandria (Poeciliidae) Caracas Livebearer
Potamotrygon yepezi (Potamotrygonidae) Maracaibo River Stingray
Semaprochilodus kneri OC (Prochilodontidae)
Cephalosilurus apurensis OC (Pseudopimelodidae)
Microglanis iheringi OC (Pseudopimelodidae) South American Bumblebee Catfish
Rhamphichthys apurensis (Rhamphichthyidae)
Austrofundulus transilis (Rivulidae) Orinoco Spot-finned Killifish
Gnatholebias hoignei (Rivulidae) Hoigne's Venezuelan Longfin
Micromoema xiphophora (Rivulidae) Swordtail Longfin
Rachovia pyropunctata (Rivulidae) Redspotted Rachovia
Rachovia stellifer (Rivulidae) Starspotted Rachovia
Renova oscari (Rivulidae) Oscar's Longfin
Rivulus deltaphilus (Rivulidae) Orinoco Rivulus
Rivulus gransabanae (Rivulidae) Gransabana Rivulus
Rivulus immaculatus OC (Rivulidae) Venamo Rivulus
Rivulus lyricauda (Rivulidae) Lyretail Rivulus
Rivulus nicoi (Rivulidae)
Rivulus tecminae (Rivulidae) Guayapo Rivulus
Terranatos dolichopterus (Rivulidae) Saberfin Killie
Plagioscion casattii (Sciaenidae)
Rhabdolichops zareti (Sternopygidae)
Ammoglanis pulex (Trichomycteridae)
Haemomaster venezuelae OC (Trichomycteridae)
Ochmacanthus orinoco OC (Trichomycteridae) Orinoco Catfish
Pseudostegophilus haemomyzon OC (Trichomycteridae)
Schultzichthys bondi OC (Trichomycteridae)
Stegophilus septentrionalis (Trichomycteridae)
Trichomycterus arleoi (Trichomycteridae)
Trichomycterus emanueli (Trichomycteridae)
Trichomycterus maracaiboensis (Trichomycteridae)
Trichomycterus meridae OC (Trichomycteridae)
Trichomycterus mondolfi (Trichomycteridae)
Trichomycterus motatanensis (Trichomycteridae)
Tridensimilis venezuelae (Trichomycteridae) Venezuelan Parasitic Catfish
Additional endemic freshwater fish species that were not included in FishBase 2004 are given below. This list is primarily based on information from the 13 March 2009 version of the Catalog of Fishes database (current version here) and includes species described through 2008. In addition to the 258 endemic freshwater fish species listed above, these additional 73 species total 331 species of freshwater fishes known solely from Venezuela.
Apteronotus magoi (Apteronotidae) 2006
Sternarchorhynchus gnomus (Apteronotidae) 2006
Astyanax siapae (Characidae) 2003
Bryconamericus charalae (Characidae) 2005
Bryconamericus lassorum (Characidae) 2002
Bryconamericus macrophthalmus (Characidae) 2003
Bryconamericus orinocoense (Characidae) 2003
Bryconamericus singularis (Characidae) 2008
Bryconamericus subtilisform (Characidae) 2003
Bryconops collettei (Characidae) 2005
Bryconops magoi (Characidae) 2005
Hemigrammus taphorni (Characidae) 2007
Hyphessobrycon otrynus (Characidae) 2008
Hyphessobrycon paucilepis (Characidae) 2008
Hyphessobrycon tuyensis (Characidae) 2008
Metynnis longispinnis (Characidae) 2008
Odontostilbe pao (Characidae) 2007
Triportheus orinocensis (Characidae) 2004
Triportheus venezuelensis (Characidae) 2004
Apistogramma inornata (Cichlidae) 2003
Apistogramma velifera (Cichlidae) 2003
Crenicichla zebrina (Cichlidae) 2008
Geophagus dicrozoster (Cichlidae) 2004
Geophagus gottwaldi (Cichlidae) 2006
Geophagus winemilleri (Cichlidae) 2004
Guianacara cuyunii (Cichlidae) 2006
Guianacara stergiosi (Cichlidae) 2006
Laetacara fulvipinnis (Cichlidae) 2007
Nannacara quadrispinae (Cichlidae) 2004
Leptodoras rogersae (Doradidae) 2005
Rhynchodoras castilloi (Doradidae) 2007
Myoglanis aspredinoides (Heptapteridae) 2005
Phenacorhamdia provenzanoi (Heptapteridae) 2008
Phenacorhamdia taphorni (Heptapteridae) 2008
Pimelodella martinezi (Heptapteridae)
Rhamdia guasarensis (Heptapteridae) 2004
Lebiasina taphorni (Lebiasinidae) 2004
Baryancistrus demantoides (Loricariidae) 2005
Cordylancistrus nephelion (Loricariidae) 2006
Harttia merevari (Loricariidae) 2005
Hemiancistrus guahiborum (Loricariidae) 2005
Hemiancistrus subviridis (Loricariidae) 2005
Hypancistrus contradens (Loricariidae) 2007
Hypancistrus debilittera (Loricariidae) 2007
Hypancistrus furunculus (Loricariidae) 2007
Hypancistrus lunaorum (Loricariidae) 2007
Hypostomus pagei (Loricariidae) 2003
Hypostomus rhantos (Loricariidae) 2007
Hypostomus sculpodon (Loricariidae) 2003
Lithogenes wahari (Loricariidae) 2008
Lithoxus jantjae (Loricariidae) 2008
Peckoltia caenosa (Loricariidae) 2008
Pseudancistrus pectegenitor (Loricariidae) 2007
Pseudancistrus reus (Loricariidae) 2008
Pseudancistrus sidereus (Loricariidae) 2004
Pseudancistrus yekuana (Loricariidae) 2007
Sturisoma kneri (Loricariidae) 2005
Pseudoplatystoma orinocoense (Pimelodidae) 2007
Poecilia wandae (Poeciliidae) Endler's Livebearer 2003
Poecilia wingei (Poeciliidae) 2005
Gymnorhamphichthys bogardusi (Rhamphichthyidae) 2005
Austrofundulus leohoignei (Rivulidae) 2005
Austrofundulus leoni (Rivulidae) 2005
Rivulus caurae (Rivulidae) 2004
Rivulus sape (Rivulidae) 2006
Henonemus triacanthopomus (Trichomycteridae) 2006
Pygidianops cuao (Trichomycteridae) 2005
Pygidianops magoi (Trichomycteridae) 2005
Trichomycterus celsae (Trichomycteridae) 2002
Trichomycterus lewi (Trichomycteridae) 2002
Trichomycterus spelaeus (Trichomycteridae) 2001
Typhlobelus guacamaya (Trichomycteridae) 2005
Typhlobelus lundbergi (Trichomycteridae) 2005