Author: Cuvier, 1829
FBname: Amazon hatchet herring
Comments: Occurs in rivers but perhaps entering slightly saline waters near the mouth of Amazon (but this part of its range is not well documented).  Compared with the `flying' characoid fishes (e.g. <i>Thoracocharax</i>), the vertically aligned scute arms in <i>Pristigaster</i> and the rather small pectoral muscles show that flight by vibration of the pectoral fins is almost certainly impossible.  This species having been caught along with <i>Thoracocharax</i> raises the question of mimicry.