Tetra

For other uses, see Tetra (disambiguation).

Tetra
Ornate tetra, Hyphessobrycon bentosi
Ornate tetra, Hyphessobrycon bentosi
Scientific classificationEdit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
(unranked): Otophysi
Order: Characiformes
Genera

More than 150[1]

Groups included
Wiktionary logo
Look up tetra in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Black neon tetra, Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
Pristella tetra, Pristella maxillaris
Golden pristella tetra, a morph of Pristella maxillaris
Silvertip tetra, Hasemania nana

Tetra is the common name of many small freshwater characiform fishes. Tetras come from Africa, Central America, and South America, belonging to the biological families Characidae, Alestidae (the "African tetras"), Lepidarchidae, Lebiasinidae, Acestrorhynchidae, Stevardiidae, and Acestrorhamphidae. In the past, all of these families were placed in the Characidae.[2][3] The Characidae and their allies are distinguished from other fish by the presence of a small adipose fin between the dorsal and caudal fins. Many of these, such as the neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi), are brightly colored and easy to keep in captivity. Consequently, they are extremely popular for home aquaria.

Tetra is no longer a taxonomic, phylogenetic term. It is short for Tetragonopterus, a genus name formerly applied to many of these fish, which is Greek for "square-finned" (literally, four-sided-wing).

Because of the popularity of tetras in the fishkeeping hobby, many unrelated fish are commonly known as tetras, including species from different families. Even vastly different fish may be called tetras. For example, payara (Hydrolycus scomberoides) is occasionally known as the "sabretooth tetra" or "vampire tetra".

Tetras generally have compressed (sometimes deep), fusiform bodies and are typically identifiable by their fins. They ordinarily possess a homocercal caudal fin (a twin-lobed, or forked, tail fin whose upper and lower lobes are of equal size) and a tall dorsal fin characterized by a short connection to the fish's body.[4] Additionally, tetras possess a long anal fin stretching from a position just posterior of the dorsal fin and ending on the ventral caudal peduncle, and a small, fleshy adipose fin located dorsally between the dorsal and caudal fins. This adipose fin represents the fourth unpaired fin on the fish (the four unpaired fins are the caudal fin, dorsal fin, anal fin, and adipose fin), lending to tetra, which is Greek for four.[4] While this adipose fin is generally considered the distinguishing feature, some tetras (such as the emperor tetras, Nematobrycon palmeri) lack this appendage. Ichthyologists debate the function of the adipose fin, doubting its role in swimming due to its small size and lack of stiffening rays or spines.[5]

Although the list below is sorted by common name, in a number of cases, the common name is applied to different species. Since the aquarium trade may use a different name for the same species, advanced aquarists tend to use scientific names for the less-common tetras. The list below is incomplete.

Species

Tetra species: A–D

E–Q

R–Z

References

  1. ^ As of 2003 the Integrated Taxonomic Information System lists 164 genera of Characidae.
  2. ^ Melo, Bruno F; Ota, Rafaela P; Benine, Ricardo C; Carvalho, Fernando R; Lima, Flavio C T; Mattox, George M T; Souza, Camila S; Faria, Tiago C; Reia, Lais; Roxo, Fabio F; Valdez-Moreno, Martha; Near, Thomas J; Oliveira, Claudio (2024-09-01). "Phylogenomics of Characidae, a hyper-diverse Neotropical freshwater fish lineage, with a phylogenetic classification including four families (Teleostei: Characiformes)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 202 (1) zlae101. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae101. hdl:11449/301453. ISSN 0024-4082.
  3. ^ Fricke, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Van der Laan, R. (2025). "ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  4. ^ a b Carey, R. Tetras and Barbs: A Complete Guide to the Successful Care and Breeding of Two of the Most Popular Groups of Aquarium Fish. TFH Publications, Inc., 2009
  5. ^ Moyle, P., & Cech, J. Fishes: An Introduction to Ichthyology (5th ed.). Pearson, Benjamin Cummings, 2004

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