The Kneriidae are a small family of freshwater gonorhynchiform fishes native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Most species in this family are part of the subfamily Kneriinae; they typically live in fast-flowing streams, often in highlands, and are small fish, no more than in length. The second subfamily Phractolaeminae contains only a single species, which typically inhabits stagnant or slow-moving waters and reaches up to in length. All Kneriidae have an elongated body shape. Some species are sexually dimorphic, with the male possessing a rosette on the gill covers that is absent in the females. Other species are neotenic, retaining larval features into adulthood.[1]
There are about 31 extant (living) species in five genera. There are two subfamilies, but Phractolaeminae has commonly been regarded as a full family (in which case there is no need for recognizing Kneriinae as it would contain all four remaining genera in Kneriidae).[2] [3]
In addition, the family includes the genus Mahengichthys, which only is known from Eocene fossil remains and is closer to Kneriinae than Phractolaeminae.[3] [4]