Brycon
Brycon
Genus of fishes
Brycon is a genus of fish in the family Characidae found in freshwater habitats in Central and South America, ranging from southern Mexico to northern Argentina.[1] Despite not being closely related to true trout, they are sometimes called South American trout.[2] Members of the genus may be referred to by a number of other different common names in various languages. They reach a maximum length of 11.9–79.5 cm (4.7–31.3 in) depending on the species involved.[1] Some species perform seasonal breeding migrations.[3]
They feed heavily on fruits and seeds, but also take other plant material, invertebrates and small fish.[4][5] Their food is typically taken from the water, but they are able to jump out of the water to "pluck" low-hanging seeds and fruits directly from trees.[2] Some seeds are crushed when eaten, but may also pass undamaged through the fish, making them seed dispersers.[2][4][5]
Brycon support important fisheries and based on a review by IBAMA, they are the fifth most caught fish by weight in the Brazilian Amazon.[3]