Updated 11 April 2024
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Lebiasinas
Subfamily LEBIASININAE Gill 1889
Derhamia Géry & Zarske 2002 –ia (L. suffix), belonging to: Patrick de Rham (1936–2022), Swiss ichthyologist and aquarist, who discovered type species and collected first specimens while evaluating the ecological and sociological impacts of a large hydroelectric dam at type locality in 1975
Derhamia hoffmannorum Géry & Zarske 2002 –orum (L.), commemorative suffix, plural: in honor of Peter Hoffman and Martin Hoffman (Salzgitter and Hanover, Germany, respectively), who collected holotype specimens and acclimated other specimens to captivity, giving authors “precious” information about its biology
Lebiasina Valenciennes 1847 -ina (L. suffix), having the nature of: lebías, Greek name (λεβίας) for a kind of small fish, often used to compose names of killifishes (Cyprinodontiformes), referring to compressed, tricuspid teeth of L. bimaculata, “similar to those of Cyprinodons” (translation)
Lebiasina ardilai Netto-Ferreira, Lopez-Fernandez, Taphorn & Liverpool 2013 in honor of Carlos Ardila Rodríguez, Universidad Metropolitana (Barranquilla, Colombia), for numerous contributions to the systematics of pencilfishes
Lebiasina astrigata (Regan 1903) ἀ-, Greek privative, i.e., without; strigata (L.), furrowed or grooved (i.e., striped), referring to uniform coloration, absent of stripes
Lebiasina aureoguttata (Fowler 1911) aureus (L.), golden; guttata (L.), spotted, referring to “gilt or golden blotch at inner basal region” of scales
Lebiasina bimaculata Valenciennes 1847 bi-, from bis (L.), two; maculata (L.), spotted, referring to black spots at beginning of lateral line and middle of caudal-fin insertion
Lebiasina boruca (Bussing 1967) named for the indigenous Boruca tribe who formerly inhabited southeastern Costa Rica, where this species is endemic
Lebiasina chocoensis Ardila Rodríguez 2010 –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Chacó, Colombia, type locality
Lebiasina chucuriensis Ardila Rodríguez 2001 –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: San Vicente de Chucurí, Departamento de Santander, Colombia, type locality
Lebiasina colombia Ardila Rodríguez 2008 named in honor of the author’s native country, Colombia (and where fish is endemic)
Lebiasina elongata (Boulenger 1887) Latin for prolonged, referring to height of body “considerably less” than length of head, and 1/5 of SL
Lebiasina erythrinoides (Valenciennes 1850) –oides, Neo-Latin from eī́dos (Gr. εἶδος), form or shape: similar to Erythrinus erythrinus (Erythrinidae)
Lebiasina festae (Boulenger 1899) in honor of Italian naturalist Enrico Festa (1868–1939), who collected holotype [although named after a man, “ae” is an acceptable way to form a genitive from masculine nouns that end in “a”]
Lebiasina floridablancaensis Ardila Rodríguez 1994 –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Municipio de Floridablanca, Departamento de Santander, Colombia, type locality
Lebiasina intermedia Meinken 1936 Latin for intermediate, described as intermediate in body measurements and color between L. bimaculata and L. multimaculata
Lebiasina marilynae Netto-Ferreira 2012 in honor of American ichthyologist Marilyn Weitzman (1926– 2022), National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), who devoted her career to the study of fishes of the families Lebiasinidae and Characidae
Lebiasina melanoguttata Netto-Ferreira 2012 mélanos (Gr. μέλανος), genitive of mélas (μέλας), black; guttata (L.), dotted, referring to longitudinal series of dark blotches along flanks
Lebiasina minuta Netto-Ferreira 2012 Latin for small, referring to its size, no larger than 68.4 mm SL
Lebiasina multimaculata Boulenger 1911 multi– (L.), many; maculata (L.), spotted, referring to 9–11 roundish black spots on sides
Lebiasina narinensis Ardila Rodríguez 2002 –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Departamento d Nariño, Colombia, type locality, and for the hospitality of its people
Lebiasina ortegai Ardila Rodríguez 2008 in honor of Colombian ichthyologist Armando Ortega Lara, for his contributions to scientific knowledge of Colombian fishes
Lebiasina panamensis (Gill 1877) –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Isthmus of Panama, type locality
Lebiasina provenzanoi Ardila Rodríguez 1999 in honor of Francisco Provenzano R., Instituto de Zoología Tropical de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, for his contributions to the ichthyology of Venezuela and Colombia
Lebiasina taphorni Ardila Rodríguez 2004 in honor of American ichthyologist Donald C. Taphorn (b. 1951), then with Universidad Nacional Experimental de los Llanos Orientales “Ezequiel Zamora” (Guanare, Venezuela), for his valuable contributions to Venezuelan ichthyology
Lebiasina unitaeniata (Günther 1864) uni-, from unus (L.), one; taeniata (L.), banded, referring to indistinct dark band from end of operculum to lower half of caudal-fin base
Lebiasina uruyensis Fernández-Yépez 1967 –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Río Uruyén, Estado Bolívar, Venezuela, type locality
Lebiasina yepezi Netto-Ferreira, Oyakawa, Zuanon & Nolasco 2011 in honor of Venezuelan ichthyologist Agustín Fernández-Yépez (1916–1977), who first collected this species in 1951
Lebiasina yuruaniensis Ardila Rodríguez 2000 –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Río Yuruaní drainage, Gran Sabana, Estado Bolívar, Venezuela, type locality
Pencilfishes
Subfamily PYRRHULINAE Bleeker 1859
Copeina Fowler 1906 –ina (L.), belonging to: American zoologist-paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope (1840–1897), “who studied most of the fishes included” in Fowler’s paper on heterognathus fishes
Copeina guttata (Steindachner 1876) Latin for spotted or speckled, referring to reddish spots on sides
Copeina osgoodi Eigenmann 1922 in honor of American zoologist William Hudson Osgood (1875–1947), Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago, USA), who collected holotype
Copella Myers 1956 –ella (L.), diminutive suffix connoting endearment: in honor of American zoologist-paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope (1840–1897)
Copella arnoldi (Regan 1912) in honor of German aquarist Johann Paul Arnold (1869–1952), who collected holotype
Copella callolepis (Regan 1912) callo-, from kállos (Gr. κάλλος), beauty; lepίs (Gr. λεπίς), scale, presumably referring to pale spot on each scale (except below dusky band on lower body)
Copella compta (Myers 1927) Latin for adorned or ornamented, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to dark band around chin, through eye and across opercle, and/or wide, dark lateral band down the side; Myers said it “represents the acme of gracefulness reached by characins of the Pyrrhulininae”
Copella eigenmanni (Regan 1912) in honor of German-born American ichthyologist Carl H. Eigenmann (1863–1927), who collected holotype
Copella nattereri (Steindachner 1876) in honor of Austrian naturalist Johann Natterer (1787–1843), who explored South America and collected specimens for 18 years, including holotype of this one
Copella vilmae Géry 1963 matronym not identified but according to a 1965 Sports Illustrated article on pet-book publisher Herbert R. Axelrod (1927–2017), name was coined by Brazilian ethnographer and fish collector Harald Schultz (1909–1966), who collected holotype and said he had found a fish beautiful enough (with bright-red belly and two metallic blue spots) to be named after his wife Vilma
Nannostomus Günther 1872 nánnos (Gr. νάννος), dwarf; stomus, from stóma (Gr. στόμα), mouth, referring to “narrow” mouth of N. beckfordi
Nannostomus anduzei Fernandez & Weitzman 1987 in honor of Pablo J. Anduze (1902–1989), Venezuelan explorer, ethnologist, medical entomologist, and former governor of Amazonas State, Venezuela, who provided much help to the senior author in her work on the fishes of Venezuela’s Amazon region
Nannostomus beckfordi Günther 1872 in honor of English beekeeper and naturalist F. J. B. Beckford (1842–1920), who presented holotype to the British Museum as part of a collection he made in British Guiana
Nannostomus bifasciatus Hoedeman 1954 bi-, from bis (L.), twice; fasciatus (L.), banded, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to black lateral band and, presumably, to narrow golden-red streak just above it on males or narrow black band just below dorsum (description does not mention this latter character)
Nannostomus britskii Weitzman 1978 in honor of Brazilian ichthyologist Heraldo A. Britski, Universidade de São Paulo, who collected holotype
Nannostomus digrammus (Fowler 1913) di– (Gr. prefix), from dýo (δύο), two; grammus, scientific Neo-Latin derived from grammḗ (Gr. γραμμή), line or stroke of the pen, referring to two lengthwise blackish bands or streaks on sides
Nannostomus eques Steindachner 1876 Latin for horseman or rider, allusion not explained, probably referring to nocturnal oblique band (saddle-like marking on sides that is weak or absent in daylight, very dark at night, and usually present in preserved specimens) [Steindachner used this name for two other characiforms with saddle-like markings, Abramites eques and Hyphessobrycon eques]
Nannostomus erythrurus (Eigenmann 1909) red-tailed, from erythrós (Gr. ἐρυθρός), red, and ourá (Gr. οὐρά), tail, referring to two red spots at base of caudal fin
Nannostomus espei (Meinken 1956) in honor or ornamental fish importer-exporter Heinrich Espe, who supplied specimens (mixed in with a shipment of N. trifasciatus) to Meinken for identification
Nannostomus grandis Zarske 2011 Latin for large, at 46 mm SL, the largest known Nannostomus
Nannostomus harrisoni (Eigenmann 1909) in honor of John Burchmore Harrison (1856–1928), Government Geologist, Georgetown, British Guiana, for his assistance during Eigenmann’s 1908 expedition
Nannostomus limatus Weitzman 1978 Latin for elegant, refined or polished, allusion not explained, presumably referring to elongate, compressed body and/or attractive appearance or color pattern
Nannostomus marginatus Eigenmann 1909 Latin for bordered or edged, referring to broad dark band on sides, finely edged above and below with red
Nannostomus marginatus picturatus Hoedeman 1954 Latin for painted or embroidered, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to red blotch between primary and secondary stripes on caudal peduncle
Nannostomus marilynae Weitzman & Cobb 1975 in honor of the senior author’s wife, American ichthyologist Marilyn Weitzman (1926–2022), National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), “who has long shared his appreciation for the delicate beauty of members of the genus Nannostomus”
Nannostomus minimus Eigenmann 1909 Latin for least, referring to its small size, described at 20-21 mm
Nannostomus mortenthaleri Paepke & Arendt 2001 in honor of Austrian aquarium-fish exporter Martin Mortenthaler (1961–2018), owner of Aquarium Rio Momon SRL, Iquitos, Peru, who collected holotype
Nannostomus nigrotaeniatus Zarske 2013 nigro-, from niger (L.), dark or black; taeniatus (L.), banded, referring to primary horizontal stripe, wider than band on both the closely related N. erythrurus and N. trifasciatus
Nannostomus nitidus Weitzman 1978 Latin for neat, elegant or shining, allusion not explained, presumably referring to elongate, compressed body and/or attractive appearance or color pattern (although colors in life were not described)
Nannostomus rubrocaudatus Zarske 2009 rubro-, from ruber (L.), red; caudatus (L.), tailed, referring to “exceedingly attractive” (translation) coloration of males in life
Nannostomus trifasciatus Steindachner 1876 tri– (L.), three; fasciatus (L.), banded, referring to three longitudinal bands on sides (upper and lower bands much thinner than middle band)
Nannostomus unifasciatus Steindachner 1876 uni-, from unus (L.), one; fasciatus (L.), banded, referring to prominent black band running from snout into lower lobe of caudal fin
Pyrrhulina Valenciennes 1846 -ina (L. suffix), having the nature of: pyrrhós (Gr. πῠρρός), flame-colored, presumably referring to “uniformly red coloration” (translation) of P. filamentosa
Pyrrhulina australis Eigenmann & Kennedy 1903 Latin for southern, presumably referring to its occurrence (described from Paraguay) south of the “evidently closely related” P. semifasciata (Amazon River basin)
Pyrrhulina beni Pearson 1924 named for the lower Río Beni basin, Bolivia, type locality
Pyrrhulina brevis Steindachner 1876 Latin for short, allusion not explained, probably referring to shorter longitudinal stripe (lower jaw to posterior edge of head) compared with P. semifasciata (lower jaw to middle of abdomen)
Pyrrhulina capim Vieira & Netto-Ferreira 2019 named for Rio Capim, a tributary of Rio Guamá, Pará, Brazil, where the junior author first collected this species, from the Tupí-Guaraní Caá (leaf) and Pií (thin or slender)
Pyrrhulina eleanorae Fowler 1940 in honor of Eleanor Morrow, wife of William C. Morrow, who led Peruvian expedition that collected holotype [Fowler also gave Morrow’s middle initial as “P.” in the same publication, presumably in error]
Pyrrhulina elongata Zarske & Géry 2001 Latin for prolonged, referring to elongated body shape (depth at beginning of dorsal fin 4.8–5.1 times in SL)
Pyrrhulina filamentosa Valenciennes 1847 Latin for filamentous, referring to filamentous dorsal- and caudal-fin rays
Pyrrhulina laeta (Cope 1872) Latin for joyful, cheerful or gay, allusion not explained, probably referring to its attractive coloration (e.g., orange-red fins, scales orange at base with broad blackish margins forming rows of spots)
Pyrrhulina lugubris Eigenmann 1922 Latin for mourning or funereal, probably referring to purple body color, a traditional mourning color in some cultures
Pyrrhulina marilynae Netto-Ferreira & Marinho 2013 in honor of American ichthyologist Marilyn Weitzman (1926–2022), National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), for her assistance to both authors since they began studying the family Lebiasinidae
Pyrrhulina maxima Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889 Latin for large or great, presumably referring to larger size compared with the “closely related” P. brevis and P. (=Copella) nattereri
Pyrrhulina melanostoma (Cope 1870) black- mouthed, from mélanos (Gr. μέλανος), genitive of mélas (μέλας), black, and stóma (Gr. στόμα), mouth referring to black band through operculum and orbit around edge of premaxillary, and second black band around edge of mandible
Pyrrhulina obermulleri Myers 1926 in honor of the late August Obermüller, who first introduced Myers to South American characins at his “aquarium establishment” in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Pyrrhulina rachoviana Myers 1926 in honor of German aquarist Arthur Rachow (1884–1960), who supplied holotype from aquarium specimens (in the German hobby since 1906) and translated Myers’ description into German
Pyrrhulina semifasciata Steindachner 1876 semi-, from semis (L.), a half or moiety; fasciata (L.), banded, referring to blackish longitudinal stripe from front edge of lower jaw to middle of abdomen
Pyrrhulina spilota Weitzman 1960 from spilōtós (Gr. σπιλωτός), marked or stained, referring to three spots on sides and one at base of caudal fin
Pyrrhulina stoli Boeseman 1953 in honor of Dutch naturalist and aquarium-store owner E. C. Stol (d. 1975), who collected holotype
Pyrrhulina vittata Regan 1912 Latin for banded, probably referring to three blackish bars on body
Pyrrhulina zigzag Zarske & Géry 1997 referring to zigzag shape of longitudinal band on sides