Rhaphiodon vulpinus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Otomorpha
Subcohors: Ostariophysi
Sectio: Otophysa
Ordo: Characiformes

Familia: Cynodontidae
Genus: Rhaphiodon

Species: Rhaphiodon vulpinus
Name

Rhaphiodon vulpinus Spix & Agassiz, 1829

Holotype (unique): MHNN 822.

Type catalog: Kottelat 1988:84

Type locality: Brazilian rivers.

Etymology: vulpinus from the Latin vulpinus, meaning "fox".
Synonyms

Rhaphiodontichthys vulpinus (Spix & Agassiz, 1829)
Hydropardus rapax Reinhardt, 1849
Salmo tamuco Kner, 1860

References
Primary references

Spix, J.B. von & Agassiz, J.L.R. 1829. Selecta genera et species piscium quos in itinere per Brasiliam annos MDCCCXVII–MDCCCXX jussu et auspiciis Maximiliani Josephi I… colleget et pingendso curavit Dr J. B. de Spix… Monachii. Part 1: i–xvi + i–ii + 1–82, Pls. 1–48; Part 2: 83–138, Pls. 49–101. Reference page.

Additional references

Kottelat, M. 1988. Authorship, dates of publication, status and types of Spix and Agassiz's Brazilian fishes. Spixiana (Munich) v. 11 (no. 1): 69–93. Reference page.

Links

Rhaphiodon vulpinus in Catalog of Fishes, Eschmeyer, W.N., Fricke, R. & van der Laan, R. (eds.) 2024. Catalog of Fishes electronic version, accessed on January 28, 2016.
Rhaphiodon vulpinus in FishBase,
Froese, R. & Pauly, D. (eds.) 2024. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication, www.fishbase.org, version 02/2024.

Vernacular names
English: Biara, Vampire characin
ไทย: ปลาราฟิโอดอน

The biara (Rhaphiodon vulpinus) is a South American piscivorous fish in the dogtooth characin family. It belongs to the monotypic genus Rhaphiodon, although some minor differences in morphometrics and colour are known from across its large range.[2][3] It is found in the Amazon, Orinoco, and Río de la Plata Basins, as well as rivers of the Guianas.[4] It occurs in a wide range of freshwater habitats such as main river channels, flooded forests, lakes and reservoirs.[3][5] Some populations are migratory.[3]

It reaches up to 2.1 kg (4 lb 10 oz) in weight.[4] Although it reportedly can reach up to 80 cm (2 ft 7 in) in standard length,[4] the largest confirmed were 63-64 cm (about 2 ft 1 in)[6][7] Like other dogtooth characins, the biara has very long pointed canine teeth, but it is easily separated from its relatives by its very elongated and streamlined body shape.[2]

Like its relatives, the biara feeds almost entirely on other fish, which are speared by the long canines.[5] In a study of the stomach content of 100 biaras, the majority were empty. The remaining had prey fish that were 30–50% of the length of the biara itself, and only a single contained another prey type, a mayfly larvae.[5]

In a study observing the reproductive biology of the biara species in the Tocantins River of Brazil, it was found that the prime reproductive period takes place in November. The high-water conditions of the environment correlate to the increase of reproductive rate.[8]

The biara occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade, but it requires a very large tank.[3]
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhaphiodon vulpinus.

Salvador, G.N. (2023). "Rhaphiodon vulpinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T187160A1824019. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T187160A1824019.en. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
"Rhaphiodon". OPEFE. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
"Rhaphiodon vulpinus". SeriouslyFish. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2006). "Rhaphiodon vulpinus" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
Goulding, M (1980). The Fishes and the Forest: Explorations in Amazonian Natural History. University of California Press. pp. 184–185. ISBN 0-520-04131-3.
van der Sleen, P.; J.S. Albert, eds. (2017). Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas. Princeton University Press. p. 155. ISBN 978-0691170749.
Benedito-Cecilio, E.; A.A. Agostinho; R.C.C.-M. Velho (1997). "Length-weight relationship of fishes caught in the Itaipu Reservoir, Paraná, Brazil". Naga ICLARM Q. 20 (3/4): 57–61.
Andréa L. Neuberger; Elineide E. Marques; Carlos S. Agostinho; Rafael J. de Oliveira (2007). "Reproductive Biology of Rhaphiodon vulpinus (Ostariophysi: Cynodontidae) in the Tocantins River Basin, Brazil". Neotropical Ichthyology. 5 (4): 479–484. doi:10.1590/S1679-62252007000400007 – via Science Citation Index (SCI).