Leporellus

Leporellus is a genus with 3 species in this atlas, catalogued in the Piranhas & Pacus section, recorded from Brazil, Paraguay and Peru. Adult sizes run from 10 in to 12 in. Every species below links to a full researched profile.

Species in atlas
3
Adult sizes
10–12 in
IUCN assessed
3 of 3
Recorded from
3 countries

About the genus

Leporellus is a genus of headstander-relatives in family Anostomidae, part of the broader Characiformes group that also includes the piranhas and pacus in this section of the atlas. The genus name, and the common name of one of its species - the yellow rabbit characin, Leporellus vittatus - point to a trait shared with the better-known genus Leporinus: a blunt, protruding snout and lip structure that has earned several anostomid genera a 'rabbit' nickname. The atlas records the genus from Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru, and its three species - L. cartledgei, L. pictus, and L. vittatus - are fairly large for the family, running 10–12 in.

Like many anostomids, Leporellus is thought to be a largely herbivorous or omnivorous grazer of algae, plant material, and detritus, and some genera in the family are known for an oblique, head-down resting posture, though this has not been specifically documented for Leporellus in the sources available here. None of the three species has an established place in the aquarium trade. Conservation data are limited: one atlas species is rated Least Concern, and the other two have not yet been formally evaluated.

IUCN Red List: Least Concern · 1 Not Evaluated · 2

The 3 species

Every Leporellus recorded in this atlas. Each card links to a full researched profile — distribution, water parameters, and aquarium care, cited to primary sources.

Fowler, 1941

10 in TL · NE

(Kner, 1858)

NE

(Valenciennes, 1850)

Yellow rabbit characin, Spotted headstander

12 in SL · LC

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How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Genus Leporellus. Aquarist Atlas. https://www.aquaristatlas.com/leporellus/

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