The Tetra

[Never2Bknown]

This is probably only a question for those fish people, who, like me, are lovers of absolute literacy... In other words, this question is not one that really matters fish-wise, but would put a mind like mine to rest.

I noticed that the meaning of the general scientific name "tetra" actually means "four," which confused me... What kind of name is "four" for a group of fish? I have already asked my science teacher, and he was without answers. Therefore, I am hoping that some of you who know much more about this type of fish than I do (I am not even the owner of any, if truth be told) may have an answer--or even simply an idea--as to where this name came from.

This question has, indeed, perplexed me to no end for the past several days...thus, any answers or ideas would, indeed, be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lateral Line]

Fish classification is an evolving business. Scarcely a day goes by without some familiar group of fish being subdivided or reassigned to another genus etc. For many years, a large number of Characins were lumped together in the genus Tetragonopterus, (there were also genera within the family Characinidae called Tetrafonopterus and Tetragibioterys - but Tetragonopterus was the largest). The common name comes from a shortening if that. As the classification was refined, many fish were assigned to other genera, but the name by then was established.

Tetrafonopterus ocellifer -> Hemigrammus ocellifer -> Beacon
Tetragonopterus ulreyi -> Hyphessobrycon heterohabdus -> Belgian Flag

etc. etc.

There are still a few fish in the genus Tetragonopterus incidently, the only one that is seen in the trade, (and sadly that is rarely), is T. argenteus, the "Big-Eye Tetra", or "Silver tetra". There is a picture of one here.