Rhamphichthyids

Rhamphichthyids are a family of freshwater fish belonging to the order Gymnotiformes, commonly known as electric knifefish. They are native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America. These fish are characterized by their elongated, eel-like bodies and a distinctive long, pointed snout, which gives them their name. Rhamphichthyids lack pelvic and dorsal fins, but possess an anal fin that extends along the entire length of their body, used for locomotion. Their coloration is typically cryptic, with shades of brown and gray that aid in camouflage among aquatic vegetation and substrate.

These fish are primarily nocturnal and inhabit slow-moving, vegetated waters, often found in leaf litter or muddy bottoms. Rhamphichthyids are weak electric fish, meaning they generate a low-voltage electric field for electrolocation and communication rather than for stunning prey. This electric field allows them to navigate in murky waters and detect objects and other organisms. Their diet consists mainly of small invertebrates and insect larvae, which they find using their electroreception. Reproduction in Rhamphichthyids is not extensively documented, but like other knifefish, they are thought to lay eggs. The family Rhamphichthyidae contains a single genus, Rhamphichthys.