Bony Tongues and Relatives: Osteoglossiformes - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Bony Tongues And Their Relatives And People, Freshwater Butterflyfish (pantodon Buchholzi): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, CONSERVATIO

FRESHWATER BUTTERFLYFISH (Pantodon buchholzi): SPECIES ACCOUNT

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Bony tongues and their relatives live in tropical Africa; India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam; South America; New Guinea and Australia; and North America.

HABITAT

Many bony tongues and their relatives live near the surface of slow-moving rivers and lakes or ones that are stagnant, or still and stale. Some live at all depths in large rivers and lakes. Others prefer habitats with dense, or thick, plant life. Some bony tongues live in muddy water, sometimes in swift currents.

CONSERVATION STATUS

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) lists one species of bony tongue, the Asian arowana or dragon fish, as Endangered, meaning that it faces very high risk of extinction in the wild.