{{Short description|Subfamily of fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Cheirodon pisciculus.jpg | image_caption = ''Cheirodon pisciculus'' | taxon = Cheirodontinae | authority = C. H. Eigenmann, 1915<ref name = VDLEF>{{cite journal | author1 = Richard van der Laan | author2 = William N. Eschmeyer | author3 = Ronald Fricke | name-list-style = amp |year=2014 | title = Family-group names of recent fishes | url = https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.3882.1.1/10480 | journal = Zootaxa | volume = 3882 | issue = 2 | pages = 1–230| doi = 10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1 | pmid = 25543675 | doi-access = free }}</ref> | type_genus = Cheirodon<ref name = VDLEF/> | type_genus_authority = Girard, 1855<ref name = "Cof family">{{Cof family|family=Cheirodontinae|access-date=23 September 2025}}</ref> | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision_ref = <ref name = "Cof family"/> | subdivision = see text }} '''Cheirodontinae''' is a subfamily of freshwater ray-finned fishes, characins, belonging to the family Characidae. The fishes in this genus are found in the Neotropics as far north as Costa Rica and in South America. They are absent from the Pacific drainages of South America except for four species in the genus ''Cheirodon'' that are endemic to southern Chile.<ref name = Mariguela/> Some authorities split this subfamily into two tribes, Cheirodontini and Composurini, based on the males' reproductive characteristics.<ref name = Nelson5>{{cite book |author=Joseph S. Nelson |author-link=Joseph S. Nelson |author2=Terry C. Grande |author3=Mark V.H. Wilson |year=2016 |title=Fishes of the World |edition=5 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Inc |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |isbn=9781119174844 |pages=206}}</ref> However, later phylogenetic studies found Cheirodontinae to be monophyletic but that the division onto two tribes was not supported.<ref name = Mariguela>{{cite journal |author=T.C. Mariguela |author2=G. Ortí |author3=G.S. Avelino |author4=K.T. Abe |author5=C. Oliveira |year=2013 |title=Composition and interrelationships of a large Neotropical freshwater fish group, the subfamily Cheirodontinae (Characiformes: Characidae): A case study based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=68 |issue=1 |pages=23-34 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2013.03.011}}</ref>
==Genera== Cheirodontinae contains the following genera:<ref name = "Cof family"/> {{Linked genus list | Acinocheirodon | Malabarba & Weitzman, 1999 | Amblystilbe | Fowler, 1940 | Aphyocheirodon | C. H. Eigenmann, 1915 | Cheirodon | Girard, 1855 | Cheirodontops | Schultz, 1944 | Compsura | C. H. Eigenmann, 1915 | Ctenocheirodon | Malabarba & Jerep, 2012 | Heterocheirodon | Malabarba, 1998 | Holoshesthes | C. H. Eigenmann, 1903 | Kolpotocheirodon | Malabarba & Weitzman, 2000 | Macropsobrycon | C. H. Eigenmann, 1915 | Nanocheirodon | Malabarba, 1998 | Odontostilbe | Cope, 1870 | Prodontocharax | C. H. Eigenmann & Pearson, 1924 | Protocheirodon | Vari, Melo & Oliveira, 2016 | Pseudocheirodon | Meek & Hildebrand, 1916 | Saccoderma | Schultz, 1944 | Serrapinnus | Malabarba, 1998 }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:Characidae Category:Cheirodontinae Category:Taxa named by Carl H. Eigenmann Category:Fish subfamilies