The Chilodontidae, or headstanders, are a small family of freshwater characiform fishes found in northern and central South America. This family is closely related to the family Anostomidae and is sometimes treated as a subfamily, Chilodontinae, within Anostomidae. Due to issues of homonymy with two other family-rank names called "Chilodontidae", it has been proposed that the fish family retain the spelling, and the other families will be either suppressed or renamed.[1]

Chilodontidae
Chilodus sp.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Suborder: Anostomoidea
Family: Chilodontidae
C. H. Eigenmann, 1912
Genera

2, See text

Chilodontids have colourful markings, making them popular in aquariums. They are small fish, all less than 7 cm (2.8 in) in adult length, and are distinguished by their habitual head-down postures.[2]

Genera

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This family currently contains two genera:[3]

References

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  1. ^ ICZN Case 3555
  2. ^ Weitzman, S.H. & Vari R.P. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 104. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Chilodontidae". FishBase. October 2011 version.