Astyanax bacalarensis Schmitter-Soto, 2017
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
Astyanax bacalarensis, sometimes referred to as the Bacalar tetra, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acestrorhamphidae, the American characins. This fish is found in Mexico and Central America. Its scientific and common names both refer to its type locality, Lake Bacalar in Mexico, and it further inhabits freshwater environments like cenotes, streams, and wetlands. Its widespread nature, paired with an omnivorous diet, make it a hardy species.
Before its nomination, A. bacalarensis was considered synonymous with Astyanax aeneus. The silver scales and humeral spot that A. bacalarensis sports are not uncommon features in its genus, but it can be differentiated from congeners by several means. Its fins have some unique markings, like a patch of bright red on the anal fin, and its humeral spot is rectangular or ovoid, instead of triangular or p-shaped in some other Astyanax.
Wikipedia contributors, Astyanax bacalarensis; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T19:05:25.802319+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Astyanax bacalarensis Schmitter-Soto, 2017
- Name authority
- Schmitter-Soto, 2017
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Characiformes
- Family
- Acestrorhamphidae
- Genus
- Astyanax
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Source habitat flags: Marine: no · Freshwater: yes · Terrestrial: no. These do not form a complete habitat description.
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- gigaclassActinopterygii
- superclassActinopteri
- classTeleostei
- orderCharaciformes
- suborderCharacoidei
- familyAcestrorhamphidae Eigenmann, 1907
- subfamilyAcestrorhamphinae Eigenmann, 1907
- genusAstyanax Baird & Girard, 1854
- speciesAstyanax bacalarensis Schmitter-Soto, 2017
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Astyanax. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Astyanax robustus Meek, 1912 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax pirabitira Lucena, Bertaco & Berbigier, 2013 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax superbus Myers, 1942 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax bagual Bertaco & Vigo, 2015 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax ruberrimus Eigenmann, 1913 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax trierythropterus Godoy, 1970 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax henseli de Melo & Buckup, 2006 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax procerus Lucena, Castro & Bertaco, 2013 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax poetzschkei Ahl, 1932 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax saltor Travassos, 1960 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax acatlanensis Schmitter-Soto, 2017 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Astyanax cubilhuitz Schmitter-Soto, 2017 | AcestrorhamphidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- Schmitter-Soto, J. J. (2017). A revision of Astyanax (Characiformes: Characidae) in Central and North America, with the description of nine new species. Journal of Natural History, 51. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2017.1324050 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:D5CTV. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.