Escudo de la República de Colombia Escudo de la República de Colombia
Panel de Accesibilidad

✎ Camila Espinosa

✎ Camila Espinosa

✎ Diego Aguilera

Knifefish
Gymnotus chocoPacific region

  • Generalities
  • Morpho-functionality
  • Lifecycle
  • Distribution

RECORRIDO VIRTUAL POR LA BIODIVERSIDAD DE COLOMBIA
Museo de Historia Natural
Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Knifefish
Gymnotus choco

They are known as knife fish. They have circular or slightly ovoid scales present throughout the postcranial portion of their body. They are capable of producing electricity and measure 26 cm in length. They are found in rivers or streams that have a lime substrate. They feed on small animals.

Conservation status

Extinct

Extinct in the Wild

Critically Endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Near Threatened

Least Concern

Not Evaluated

Data Deficient

Morpho-functionality

Electric organ

The electric fields it produces allow it to orient itself and communicate with others of its kind.

Sight

Its eyes are small due to his nocturnal habits and is guided by other more developed senses.

Coloration

The coloration of its body helps it camouflage itself in the bottom of the rivers it occupies.

Lifecycle

Being a recently described species (2003) there is very little information about its biology and reproductive cycle. Like other species of the genus Gymnotus, it could be more active at night and orient itself by means of very mild electrical impulses, even communicating with other individuals, finding a mate and obtaining information about their age and sex.

Knifefish

Distribution

They are endemic to Colombia and are resident in the Atrato river basins and in the Pacific. They survive in waters with gentle currents and with an average temperature of 25 ° C. They can be found in any area of the bottom and deep water columns in rivers.

Distribution area