The Serrasalminae and Mylinae

Abstract

The Serrasalminae and the Mylinae are highl>' specialized freshwater fishes. They are members of the family of the Characidae, ubiquitous in South America, being rather closely allied to the Tetragonopterinae and the Bryconinae. They are compressed, deep fishes, with a series of median spines along a greater or less part of the ventral surface. The dorsal fin is longer than in most of the other South American characins, and reaches its maximum length in Myleus pacu, which has twenty-seven dorsal rays.