# Hyphessobrycon

Hyphessobrycon is a genus of freshwater fish in the family Characidae. These species are among the fishes known as tetras. The genus is distributed in the Neotropical realm from southern Mexico to Río de la Plata in Argentina. Many of these species are native to South America; about six species are from Central America and a single species, H. compressus is from southern Mexico.
All small fishes, the Hyphessobrycon tetras reach maximum overall lengths of about 1.7–9.6 cm (0.7–3.8 in). Great anatomical diversity exists in this genus. They are generally of typical characin shape, but vary greatly in coloration and body form, many species having distinctive black, red, or yellow markings on their bodies and fins. These species are generally omnivorous, feeding predominantly on small crustaceans, insects, annelid worms, and zooplankton. When spawning, they scatter their eggs and guard neither eggs nor young.

## Taxonomy

This large genus of characins includes over 150 species. The systematics of Hyphessobrycon are still largely unresolved. Six groups within this genus have been recognized based on color patterns alone. With no phylogenetic analysis of this genus, species are placed into this genus as anatomically defined by Carl H. Eigenmann in 1917. By this definition, Hyphessobrycon is identified by the presence of an adipose fin, incomplete lateral line, two tooth series in the premaxilla, with the teeth of the external series continuous in a single series, teeth not strictly conical, preventral scales arranged in more than one row and lack of scales in the caudal fin. The characteristic of extension of scales onto the caudal fin that differentiates this genus from Hemigrammus is not satisfactory, as it occurs in intermediate conditions.
This genus is not monophyletic. A monophyletic group within Hyphessobrycon has been hypothesized, termed the rosy tetra clade; this group is based upon coloration pattern and the shape of dorsal and anal fins of males. Recognition of monophyletic groups among Hyphessobrycon species is complicated by the difficulty in finding characters useful for hypothesis of relationships among the species. Traditional characters used to identify Hyphessobrycon are phylogenetically unreliable.

## Etymology

The generic name, Hyphessobrycon, is of slightly uncertain origin. The second part derives from the Greek βρύκω (to bite); the first, derives from an ostensible Greek hyphesson, which may be an error for υπελάσσων (slightly smaller).

## Relationship to humans

Most of the species in the genus have not been rated by the IUCN Red List as Threatened, but many species have small distributions and at least three, H. flammeus, H. coelestinus and H. duragenys are classified as endangered. One, H. taurocephalus, is categorised as possibly extinct. This species only occurs in a few rivers and streams in Santa Catarina and Paraná states of Brazil.
Many Hyphessobrycon species are popular aquarium fish, and some, including H. flammeus, are bred in large numbers in captivity.

## Species

The 156 currently recognized species in this genus are:
* Hyphessobrycon acaciae García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Prada-Pedreros, 2010
* Hyphessobrycon agulha Fowler, 1913 (red-tailed flag tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon albolineatum Fernández-Yépez, 1950
* Hyphessobrycon amandae Géry & Uj, 1987 (ember tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon amapaensis Zarske & Géry, 1998 (red-line tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon amaronensis García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Taphorn, 2010
* Hyphessobrycon arianae Uj & Géry, 1989
* Hyphessobrycon auca Almirón, Casciotta, Bechara & Ruíz Díaz, 2004
* Hyphessobrycon axelrodi (Travassos, 1959) (calypso tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon balbus G. S. Myers, 1927
* Hyphessobrycon bentosi Durbin, 1908 (ornate tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus Durbin, 1911 (yellow tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon borealis Zarske, Le Bail & Géry, 2006
* Hyphessobrycon boulengeri (C. H. Eigenmann, 1907)
* Hyphessobrycon brumado Zanata & Camelier, 2010
* Hyphessobrycon bussingi Ota, Carvalho & Pavanelli, 2020
* Hyphessobrycon cachimbensis Travassos, 1964
* Hyphessobrycon caru GUIMARÃES, 2019
* Hyphessobrycon catableptus (Durbin, 1909)
* Hyphessobrycon chiribiquete García‐Alzate, Lima, Taphorn, Mojica, Urbano‐Bonilla & Teixeira, 2020
* Hyphessobrycon chocoensis García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Taphorn, 2013
* Hyphessobrycon clavatus Zarske, 2015
* Hyphessobrycon coelestinus G. S. Myers, 1929
* Hyphessobrycon columbianus Zarske & Géry, 2002
* Hyphessobrycon comodoro Dagosta, Seren, Ferreira & Marinho, 2022
* Hyphessobrycon compressus (Meek, 1904) (Mayan tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon condotensis Regan, 1913
* Hyphessobrycon copelandi Durbin, 1908
* Hyphessobrycon cyanotaenia Zarske & Géry, 2006 (lapis tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon delimai Teixeira, Netto-Ferreira, Birindelli & L. M. Sousa, 2016
* Hyphessobrycon diancistrus S. H. Weitzman, 1977
* Hyphessobrycon diastatos D'Agosta, Marinho & Camelier, 2014
* Hyphessobrycon dorsalis Zarske, 2014
* Hyphessobrycon duragenys Durbin, 1911
* Hyphessobrycon ecuadoriensis C. H. Eigenmann & Henn, 1914
* Hyphessobrycon eilyos F. C. T. Lima & C. L. R. Moreira, 2003
* Hyphessobrycon elachys M. J. Weitzman, 1985
* Hyphessobrycon eos Durbin, 1909 (dawn tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon epicharis S. H. Weitzman & L. F. Palmer, 1997
* Hyphessobrycon eques (Steindachner, 1882) (jewel tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon ericae C. L. R. Moreira & F. C. T. Lima, 2017
* Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma (Fowler, 1943) (bleeding-heart tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon eschwartzae García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & H. Ortega, 2013
* Hyphessobrycon fernandezi Fernández-Yépez, 1972
* Hyphessobrycon flammeus G. S. Myers, 1924 (flame tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon frankei Zarske & Géry, 1997
* Hyphessobrycon georgettae Géry, 1961
* Hyphessobrycon gracilior Géry, 1964
* Hyphessobrycon griemi Hoedeman, 1957 (gold-spotted tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon hamatus Bertaco & L. R. Malabarba, 2005
* Hyphessobrycon haraldschultzi Travassos, 1960
* Hyphessobrycon hasemani Fowler, 1913
* Hyphessobrycon heliacus C. L. R. Moreira, Landim & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2002
* Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi Géry, 1961 (black-neon tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon heteresthes (Ulrey, 1894)
* Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus (Ulrey, 1894) (flag tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon hexastichos Bertaco & T. P. Carvalho, 2005
* Hyphessobrycon hildae Fernández-Yépez, 1950
* Hyphessobrycon igneus Miquelarena, Menni, H. L. López & Casciotta, 1980
* Hyphessobrycon iheringi Fowler, 1941
* Hyphessobrycon inconstans (C. H. Eigenmann & Ogle, 1907)
* Hyphessobrycon isiri Almirón, Casciotta & Körber, 2006
* Hyphessobrycon itaparicensis S. M. Q. Lima & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2001
* Hyphessobrycon jackrobertsi Zarske, 2014
* Hyphessobrycon kayabi Teixeira, F. C. T. Lima & Zuanon, 2014
* Hyphessobrycon khardinae Zarske, 2008
* Hyphessobrycon klausanni García-Alzate, Urbano-Bonilla & Taphorn, 2017
* Hyphessobrycon krenakore Teixeira, Netto-Ferreira, Birindelli & L. M. Sousa, 2016
* Hyphessobrycon langeanii F. C. T. Lima & C. L. R. Moreira, 2003
* Hyphessobrycon latus Fowler, 1941
* Hyphessobrycon loretoensis Ladiges, 1938 (Loreto tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon loweae W. J. E. M. Costa & Géry, 1994
* Hyphessobrycon lucenorum Ohara & F. C. T. Lima, 2015
* Hyphessobrycon luetkenii (Boulenger, 1887)
* Hyphessobrycon maculicauda C. G. E. Ahl, 1936
* Hyphessobrycon margitae Zarske, 2016
* Hyphessobrycon mavro García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Prada-Pedreros, 2010
* Hyphessobrycon megalopterus (C. H. Eigenmann, 1915) (black-phantom tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon melanostichos T. P. Carvalho & Bertaco, 2006
* Hyphessobrycon melasemeion Fowler, 1945
* Hyphessobrycon melazonatus Durbin, 1908
* Hyphessobrycon meridionalis Ringuelet, Miquelarena & Menni, 1978
* Hyphessobrycon metae C. H. Eigenmann & Henn, 1914
* Hyphessobrycon micropterus (C. H. Eigenmann, 1915)
* Hyphessobrycon minimus Durbin, 1909
* Hyphessobrycon minor Durbin, 1909
* Hyphessobrycon moniliger C. L. R. Moreira, F. C. T. Lima & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2002
* Hyphessobrycon montagi F. C. T. Lima, Coutinho & Wosiacki, 2014
* Hyphessobrycon mutabilis W. J. E. M. Costa & Géry, 1994
* Hyphessobrycon myrmex Pastana, D'Agosta & Esguícero, 2017
* Hyphessobrycon natagaima García-Alzate, Taphorn, Román-Valencia & Villa-Navarro, 2015
* Hyphessobrycon negodagua F. C. T. Lima & Gerhard, 2001
* Hyphessobrycon nicolasi Miquelarena & H. L. López, 2010
* Hyphessobrycon niger García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Prada-Pedreros, 2010
* Hyphessobrycon nigricinctus Zarske & Géry, 2004 (morado tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon notidanos T. P. Carvalho & Bertaco, 2006
* Hyphessobrycon ocasoensis García-Alzate & Román-Valencia, 2008
* Hyphessobrycon oritoensis García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Taphorn, 2008
* Hyphessobrycon otrynus Benine & G. A. M. Lopes, 2008
* Hyphessobrycon paepkei Zarske, 2014
* Hyphessobrycon panamensis Durbin, 1908
* Hyphessobrycon pando Hein, 2009 (Pando tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon parvellus Durbin, 1911
* Hyphessobrycon paucilepis García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Taphorn, 2008
* Hyphessobrycon peruvianus Ladiges, 1938 (Peruvian tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon petricolus Ohara, F. C. T. Lima & Barros, 2017
* Hyphessobrycon peugeoti Ingenito, F. C. T. Lima & Buckup, 2013
* Hyphessobrycon piabinhas Fowler, 1941
* Hyphessobrycon pinnistriatus F. R. de Carvalho, Cabeceira & L. N. Carvalho, 2017
* Hyphessobrycon platyodus Ohara, Abrahão & Espíndola, 2017
* Hyphessobrycon poecilioides C. H. Eigenmann, 1913
* Hyphessobrycon procerus Mahnert & Géry, 1987
* Hyphessobrycon procyon Pastana & Ohara, 2016
* Hyphessobrycon proteus C. H. Eigenmann, 1913
* Hyphessobrycon psittacus D'Agosta, Marinho, Camelier & F. C. T. Lima, 2016
* Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis C. G. E. Ahl, 1937 (lemon tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon pyrrhonotus W. E. Burgess, 1993
* Hyphessobrycon pytai Géry & Mahnert, 1993
* Hyphessobrycon reticulatus Durbin, 1911
* Hyphessobrycon rheophilus Ohara, Teixeira, Albornoz-Garzón, Mirande & Lima, 2019
* Hyphessobrycon robustulus (Cope, 1870)
* Hyphessobrycon rosaceus Durbin, 1909 (rosy tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon roseus (Géry, 1960)
* Hyphessobrycon rutiliflavidus F. R. de Carvalho, Langeani, Miyazawa & Troy, 2008
* Hyphessobrycon saizi Géry, 1964
* Hyphessobrycon santae (C. H. Eigenmann, 1907)
* Hyphessobrycon savagei W. A. Bussing, 1967
* Hyphessobrycon schauenseei Fowler, 1926
* Hyphessobrycon scholzei C. G. E. Ahl, 1937 (black-line tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon scutulatus C. A. S. Lucena, 2003
* Hyphessobrycon sebastiani García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Taphorn, 2010
* Hyphessobrycon sergipanus Bragança, Ottoni & Rangel-Pereira, 2016
* Hyphessobrycon simulatus (Géry, 1960)
* Hyphessobrycon socolofi S. H. Weitzman, 1977 (spot-fin tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon sovichthys L. P. Schultz, 1944
* Hyphessobrycon stegemanni Géry, 1961 (savanna tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon stramineus Durbin, 1918
* Hyphessobrycon sweglesi (Géry, 1961) (red-phantom tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon taguae García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Taphorn, 2010
* Hyphessobrycon takasei Géry, 1964 (coffee-bean tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon taphorni García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & H. Ortega, 2013
* Hyphessobrycon taurocephalus Durbin, 1911
* Hyphessobrycon tenuis Géry, 1964
* Hyphessobrycon togoi Miquelarena & H. L. López, 2006
* Hyphessobrycon tortuguerae J. E. Böhlke, 1958
* Hyphessobrycon tropis Géry, 1963
* Hyphessobrycon tukunai Géry, 1965
* Hyphessobrycon tuyensis García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Taphorn, 2008
* Hyphessobrycon uaiso F. R. de Carvalho & Langeani, 2013
* Hyphessobrycon vanzolinii F. C. T. Lima & Flausino, 2016
* Hyphessobrycon vilmae Géry, 1966
* Hyphessobrycon vinaceus Bertaco, L. R. Malabarba & Dergam, 2007
* Hyphessobrycon wadai Marinho, D'Agosta, Camelier & Oyakawa, 2016 (blueberry tetra)
* Hyphessobrycon wajat Almirón & Casciotta, 1999
* Hyphessobrycon weitzmanorum F. C. T. Lima & C. L. R. Moreira, 2003
* Hyphessobrycon werneri Géry & Uj, 1987
* Hyphessobrycon wosiackii C. L. R. Moreira & F. C. T. Lima, 2017
* Hyphessobrycon zoe Faria, Lima & Wosiacki, 2020