Subfamily Alestiinae - African tetras
 Alestes (or Brycinus)
 Hydrocynus
 Micralestes
 Phenacogrammus
 Rhabdalestes
 and 13 other genera

Subfamily Characidiinae
 8 genera

Subfamily Characinae
 Acestrorhynchus - Pike characins
 Aphyocharax
 Boehlkea
 Chalceus
 Charax
 Cynodo
 Exodon
 Hasemania
 Hydrolycus
 Nematobrycon
 Petitella
 Priocharax
 Rhaphiodon
 Roeboides
 Thayeria
 ...

Subfamily Crenuchinae
 Crenuchus
 Poecilocharax

Subfamily Glandulocaudinae
 16 genera

Subfamily Iguanodectinae
 Iguanodectes
 Piabucus

Subfamily Rhodasiinae
 Carlana
 Rhoadsia
 Parastremma

Subfamily Serrasalminae
 Catoprion
 Colossoma
 Metynnis
 Myleus
 Mylossoma
 Pygocentrus
 Serrasalmus
 and 6 other genera

Subfamily Tetragonopterinae
 Astyanax - Astynaxes
 Byconamericus
 Bryconops
 Cheirodon
 Gymnocorymbus
 Hemibrycon
 Hemigrammus
 Hyphessobrycon
 Inpaichthys
 Megalamphodus
 Moenkhausia
 Oligosarcus
 Paracheirodon
 Rachoviscus
 Tetragonopterus
 Tyttobrycon
 ...

The Characidae are a family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish, belonging to the Characiformes (characins). They orginate in the Americas from southwestern Texas and Mexico through Central and South America. They vary in length with the smallest growing to a maximum length of 0.5 in (13 mm).

To some extent the family serves as a junk-basket category and various forms have been, and probably will continue to be, removed into their own families. The tetras belong here, comprising the very similar genera Hemigrammus and Hyphessobrycon, as well as a few related forms. These include the cave and neon tetras. The larger piranhas also belong here.

References

• "Characidae." ITIS Standard Report. (Integrated Taxonomic Information System: National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., 2004-10-13). URL: ITIS 162848
• "Family Characidae - Characins." FishBase. ed. Froese, R. and D. Pauly (08/2004), URL: Characidae