Hydrocynus

Hydrocynus is a genus of Characin fish in the family Alestidae commonly called "tigerfish," native to Africa. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek ὕδωρ ("water") + κύων ("dog"). The genus contains five species, all commonly known as "African tigerfish" for their fierce predatory behaviour and other characteristics that make them excellent game fish. Hydrocynus are normally piscivorous, but H. vittatus is proven to prey on birds in flight.

==Taxonomy== Hydrocynus was first proposed as a genus in 1816 by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier. In 1910 Carl Eigenmann designated Hydrocynus lucius as the type species of the genus, however, that name is a synonym of Boulengerella lucius, a Neotropical species which is classified in a different family. In 1952 Haroldo P. Travassos proposed the genus Hydrocionichthys with Hydrocynus forskahlii as its type species, as this genus is a junior synonym of Hydrocynus then H. forskahlii would be the type species of Hydrocynus. This may have to be ruled on by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. This genus is classified in the African tetra family, Alestidae., in the order Characiformes.