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The ghost knifefishes consist of the family Apteronotidae, which are in the order Gymnotiformes. These fish are native to Panama and South America. They inhabit a wide range of freshwater habitats, but more than half the species in the family are found deep in rivers (typically deeper than ) where there is little or no light. The genus Apteronotus is "artificial" and some of the species do not actually belong in it; it is polyphyletic.
They are distinguished from other gymnotiform fishes by the presence of a caudal fin (all other families lack a caudal or tail fin) as well as a fleshy dorsal organ represented by a longitudinal strip along the dorsal midline. They vary greatly in size, ranging from about in total length in the smallest species to in the largest.
Like all gymnotiformes, Apteronotids are electric fish, using a high frequency tone-type (also called wave-type) electric organ discharge (EOD) to communicate.
Many Apteronotids are aggressive Predation of small aquatic insect larvae and piscivorous, though there is great Ecological niche. Species of the genus Sternarchella are very unusual, preying on the tails of other electric fishes. Other species, such as Sternarchorhynchus and Sternarchorhamphus, have tubular snouts and forage for aquatic insect larvae and other small animals which burrow into the river bed (the benthos). At least one species ( Sternarchogiton nattereri) eats freshwater Porifera which grow on submerged trees, stumps, and other woody debris. Some species are even plankton.
The black ghost knifefish ( Apteronotus albifrons) and brown ghost knifefish ( Apteronotus leptorhynchus) are readily available as aquarium fish. Others are known to appear in the trade but are quite rare.
(2025). 9780691170749, Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691170749 It has been claimed that Apteronotus magdalenensis is up to , but this is not supported by recent studies, which indicate that it does not surpass about . These nocturnal fish have small eyes, and some species may exhibit sexual dimorphism in their snout shape and jaws.
Genera
FishBase lists 89 species in 16 genera, However, after a number of recent taxonomic advances, Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes recognizes 94 species in 16 genera and 2 subfamilies.
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