Mimagoniates is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Stevardiidae. This species is found in rivers and streams in southeastern, southern and central-western Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and Paraguay.Thomaz, A.T., Arcila, D., Ortí, G. & Malabarba, L.R. (2015): Molecular phylogeny of the subfamily Stevardiinae Gill, 1858 (Characiformes: Characidae): classification and the evolution of reproductive traits. BMC Evolutionary Biology, (2015) 15: 146. The individual species generally have relatively small ranges. Two species, M. lateralis and M. sylvicola, are considered threatened by Brazil's Ministry of the Environment.ICMBio (Ministry of the Environment, Brazil): Portaria MMA nº 445, de 17 de dezembro de 2014. Lista de Especies Ameaçadas - Saiba Mais. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
Commonly known as croaking tetra or chirping tetra because they can produce sounds, some of these fish were historically included in Glandulocauda, and, together with Lophiobrycon, they form the tribe Glandulocaudini. Mimagoniates have a supplementary breathing organ located above the gills which makes a faint chirping sound when these fish come to the surface to gulp air. It also plays a role in courtship, as the male chases and hovers near the female while taking gulps of air and expelling it to make a rhythmic noise.Axelrod, Herbert Richard (1996): Exotic Tropical Fishes. T.F.H. Publications. Croaking behavior may have evolved from a behavior called "surface nipping", which occurs when the fish is searching for food. This gulping of air has no useful respiratory function.Nelson, Keith (1964): The Evolution of a Pattern of Sound Production Associated with Courtship in the Characid Fish, Glandulocauda inequalis. Evolution 18(4): 526–540.
They are small fish, up to in standard length, depending on the species.
Species Mimagoniates contains the following species: Mimagoniates barberi Regan, 1907 Mimagoniates inequalis (C. H. Eigenmann, 1911) (Croaking tetra) Mimagoniates lateralis (Nichols, 1913) Mimagoniates microlepis (Steindachner, 1877) (Blue tetra) Mimagoniates pulcher Menezes & Weitzman, 2009 Mimagoniates rheocharis Menezes & Weitzman, 1990 Mimagoniates sylvicola Menezes & Weitzman, 1990
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