Updated 26 Nov. 2023
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Aphyocharacidium Géry 1960 aphyo, from aphýē (Gr. ἀφύη), small fry (i.e., small fish), but probably referring to Aphyocharax; characidium, diminutive of charax, a common suffix for characiform fishes, probably referring to Characidium, apparently reflecting Géry’s belief that it represents a “border genus” between cheirodontines (now in Cheirodontinae) and subfamily Characidiinae (in Crenuchidae)

Aphyocharacidium bolivianum Géry 1973 –anum (L.), belonging to Bolivia, where it is endemic

Aphyocharacidium melandetum (Eigenmann 1912) etymology not explained, probably mélanos (Gr. μέλανος), genitive of mélas (μέλας), black, and detós (Gr. δετός), bound or entwisted, from deō (Gr. δέω), to bind, possibly referring to black margin on caudal peduncle, which Eigenmann described as its most distinguishing feature

Aphyocharax Günther 1868 aphyo, from aphýē (Gr. ἀφύη), small fry (i.e., small fish), referring to small size of A. pusillus; Charax, typical genus of the Characiformes, from chárax (Gr. χάραξ), a pointed stake of a palisade, referring to densely packed sharp teeth, a common root-name formation in the order

Aphyocharax agassizii (Steindachner 1882) in memory of Swiss-born American zoologist-geologist Louis Agassiz (1807–1873), who gave the two type specimens to Steindachner

Aphyocharax anisitsi Eigenmann & Kennedy 1903 in honor of Hungarian-born Paraguayan botanist and collector Juan Daniel Anisits (1856–1911), National University of Paraguay, who provided Indiana University with a “well-preserved” collection of fishes, including holotype of this one

Aphyocharax avary Fowler 1913 local name for this species in the Madeira River basin of Brazil

Aphyocharax brevicaudatus de Brito, Guimarães, Carvalho-Costa & Ottoni 2019 brevis (L.), short; caudatus (L.), tailed, referring to lower caudal-fin lobe shorter than upper in mature males

Aphyocharax colifax Taphorn & Thomerson 1991 collum (L.), neck or stem; fax (L.), torch or firebrand, referring to bright-red caudal peduncle, “like a flame of fire that it carries on its back” (translation)

Aphyocharax dentatus Eigenmann & Kennedy 1903 Latin for toothed, having more mandibular teeth than A. alburnus and A. pusillus

Aphyocharax erythrurus Eigenmann 1912 red-tailed, from erythrós (Gr. ἐρυθρός), red, and ourá (Gr. οὐρά), tail, referring to brick-red caudal fin in life

Aphyocharax gracilis Fowler 1940 Latin for thin or slender, referring to its slenderer body compared with A. nasutus (=dentatus)

Aphyocharax nattereri (Steindachner 1882) patronym not identified, likely in honor of Austrian naturalist Johann Natterer (1787–1843), who explored South America and collected specimens for 18 years

Aphyocharax pusillus Günther 1868 Latin for very small, referring to its size (~50 mm)

Aphyocharax rathbuni Eigenmann 1907 in honor of American zoologist Richard Rathbun (1852–1918), Assistant Secretary, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), in charge (1899–1918) of the U.S. National Museum

Aphyocharax yekwanae Willink, Chernoff & Machado-Allison 2003 of the Ye’Kwana, tribe that lives in and oversees most of the Río Caura basin, Brazil, type locality, for their “fervid desire to protect and manage their home territory and its environment”

Leptagoniates Boulenger 1887 leptós (Gr. λεπτός ), thin or slender, allusion not explained, possibly referring to narrow mouth cleft compared with wide mouth cleft of its “nearest ally,” Paragoniates, i.e., a thin Paragoniates

Leptagoniates steindachneri Boulenger 1887 patronym not identified but clearly in honor of Austrian ichthyologist Franz Steindachner (1834–1919), who described Paragoniates in 1876

Paragoniates Steindachner 1876 para– (Gr. παρά), near, referring to presumed close relationship with Agoniates (Triportheidae) based on similarly compressed abdomens

Paragoniates alburnus Steindachner 1876 Latin for whitefish (e.g., Common Bleak Alburnus alburnus), presumably referring to its pale, silvery coloration

Phenagoniates Eigenmann & Wilson 1914 phena-, misspelling of phānós (Gr. φᾱνός) bright or clear, referring to its translucent coloration; agoniates, referring to close relationship with and similarity to Paragoniates [in 1915, Eigenmann attempted to correct spelling to Phanagoniates but original spelling prevails]

Phenagoniates macrolepis (Meek & Hildebrand 1913) makrós (Gr. μaκρóς), long or large; lepίs (Gr. λεπίς), scale, allusion not explained probably referring to larger scales compared with presumed congeners in Roeboides (Characinae)

Prionobrama Fowler 1913 príōn (Gr. πρίων), saw, probably referring to “completely denticulated maxillary,” i.e., saw-toothed; brama, referring to “superficial resemblance” of P. madeirae (=fligera) to the Common Bream Abramis brama

Prionobrama filigera (Cope 1870) filum (L.), thread; –gera, Latin suffix meaning to bear or carry, referring to long and pointed anal fin on adults

Prionobrama paraguayensis (Eigenmann 1914) –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Río Paraguay, Brazil, type locality

Xenagoniates Myers 1942 xénos (Gr. ξένος), strange or foreign (i.e., different), related to Leptagoniates and Phenagoniates but differing in the presence of a well-developed patch on each palatine and a more posterior dorsal fin

Xenagoniates bondi Myers 1942 in honor of American biologist Franklyn F. Bond (1897–1946), University of Rochester (Rochester, New York, USA), who collected holotype while researching mosquito-control fishes in Venezuela