Phallostethidae
Family of ray-finned fishes
title: "Phallostethidae" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["phallostethidae", "percomorpha-families"] description: "Family of ray-finned fishes" topic_path: "general/phallostethidae" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallostethidae" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Family of ray-finned fishes ::
| image = Neostethus lankesteri DSC 2968.jpg | image_caption = Neostethus lankesteri | taxon = Phallostethidae | authority = Regan, 1916 | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies | subdivision = see text
Phallostethidae, also known as priapium fish, is a family of atheriniform fish native to freshwater and brackish habitats in southeast Asia.
They are small, no more than 3.5 cm in length, with partially translucent bodies. They are found in fresh and brackish water from Thailand to the Philippines and Sulawesi. They are named for a muscular organ found under the chin of males. This organ, which may possess small testicles, is used together with the pelvic fins to grasp the female during mating. Unlike most other fish, priapium fishes exhibit internal fertilisation, although they are oviparous.
Subdivision
The family Phallostethidae is divided into two subfamilies and four genera:
- Subfamily Phallostethinae Regan, 1916
- Genus Neostethus Regan, 1916
- Genus Phallostethus Regan, 1916
- Genus Phenacostethus Myers, 1928
- Subfamily Gulaphallinae Aurich, 1937
- Genus Gulaphallus Herre, 1925
References
References
- (2014). "Family-group names of Recent fishes". Zootaxa.
- Allen, Gerald R.. (1998). "Encyclopedia of Fishes". Academic Press.
- (2016). "Fishes of the World". Wiley.
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