| Family: |
Alestidae (African tetras) |
| Max. size: |
12 cm SL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 10.0 g |
| Environment: |
pelagic; freshwater, potamodromous |
| Distribution: |
Africa: basins of the Volta, Niger (Bénoué), Senegal, Gambia, Tominé (Corubal) and Casamance (Ref. 2880, 81279). Also reported from the Mono (Ref. 28663) and Géba (Ref. 13331) Rivers, and from the Niger delta (Ref. 88941). |
| Diagnosis: |
Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 16-20. Diagnosis: parietal fontanel always present, also in adults, open; equal sized jaws; 5.5 scales above lateral line; 26-31 lateral line scales; 13-17 anal fin branched rays; 6/8 premaxillary teeth; 13-17 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; gill rakers short (Ref. 2880, 81279).
Description: sexual dimorphism in males with convex anal fin, females and juveniles with straight or concave anal fin; dorsal-fin origin at about the same level as pelvic-fin insertion; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 13-17 branched rays; six premaxillary teeth aligned in single row (Ref. 2880, 81279).
Colouration: humeral spot black; claviform mark on caudal peduncle extending to fork of caudal fin black; back grey-green, sides silvery and ventral portion white; all fins yellow; zone above eye marked with yellow; dark longitudinal band below lateral line, better visible in formalin-preserved specimens (Ref. 2880, 81279). |
| Biology: |
Affinities: B. nurse, B. longipinnis and B. luteus. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 30 April 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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