Henochilus Explained

Henochilus wheatlandii is a species of characin endemic to Brazil where native to the Mucuri and Doce River basins. It is a Critically Endangered species, and now restricted to the Santo Antônio River, a tributary of the Doce River.^[1] It is the only species in the genus Henochilus.

It is a critically endangered species, and had been considered extinct for more than a century, until rediscovered in 1996.^[2] This species is known to feed on plants.^[3] It can reach up to 41.3cm (16.3inches) in standard length.

The fish is named in honor of Henry Wheatland (1812–1893), who was President of the Essex Institute in Salem, Mass., USA, which published the description of the fish.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Threatened fishes of the world: Henochilus wheatlandii Garman, 1890 (Characidae). 2001. 10.1023/A:1012233128362. Vieira. Fábio. Bernardo Mascarenhas Alves. Carlos. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 62. 4. 414. 45861603.
2. The Unique Karyotype of Henochilus wheatlandii, a Critically Endangered Fish Living in a Fast-Developing Region in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. 2012. PLOS ONE. 10.1371/journal.pone.0042278. Silva. Priscilla C.. Santos. Udson. Travenzoli. Natália M.. Zanuncio. Jose C.. Cioffi. Marcelo de B.. Dergam. Jorge A.. 7. 7. e42278. 22848754. 3407097. 2012PLoSO...742278S. free.
3. Web site: Henochilus wheatlandii. Encyclopedia of Life. 3 March 2013.
4. Web site: Order CHARACIFORMES: Families IGUANODECTIDAE, TRIPORTHEIDAE, BRYCONIDAE, CHALCEIDAE and GASTEROPELECIDAE . 29 September 2021 . Christopher Scharpf . Kenneth J. Lazara . amp . The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database . Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara . 22 September 2018.