Pristigasteridae Bleeker 1872

Angulo, Arturo, Betts, Joel T., González-Alemán, Néstor J., Castañeda, Edgar, Berghe, Eric Van Den, Elías, Diego J., Mcmahan, Caleb D. & Matamoros, Wilfredo A., 2023, Continental fishes of Nicaragua: diversity, distribution and conservation status; with an annotated and illustrated checklist of species and an identification guide to families, Zootaxa 5376 (1), pp. 1-89 : 18

Family Pristigasteridae Bleeker 1872 ( Fig. 2K ). Longfin Herrings, Ilishas, Sawbelly Herrings; Sardinas Machetes

Description: Body fusiform to elongate, compressed to strongly compressed; up to 60 cm in length, usually less than 25 cm; mouth short, ends before eye, usually opens upwards, otherwise opens at the front; jaw teeth usually small; pectoral fins low on the side just behind the head; fins without spines; pelvic fins usually absent; abdominal scutes (hardened spiny scales) present; anal fin relatively long-based, with 30–92 rays, its origin under or well before dorsal-fin base; usually silvery in color ( Robertson & Allen 2015, Nelson et al. 2016). Distribution: Primarily marine, some freshwater; Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans (Nelson et al. 2016). One genus and one species in Nicaraguan freshwaters.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Families of continental fishes of Nicaragua, part 1; Carcharhinidae (A), Pristidae (B), Dasyatidae (C), Potamotrygonidae (D), Lepisosteidae (E), Elopidae (F), Megalopidae (G), Ophichthidae (H), Anguillidae (I), Engraulidae (J), Pristigasteridae (K), Dorosomatidae (L) and Cyprinidae (M). Illustrations adapted (with permission) from Nelson et al. (2016) and Angulo et al. (2021).