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Malapterurus leonensis Roberts, 2000 |
| Family: | Malapteruridae (Electric catfishes) | |||
| Max. size: | 15.5 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | benthopelagic; freshwater | |||
| Distribution: | Africa: known from coastal river basins in Sierra Leone (Ref. 34006). | |||
| Diagnosis: | Vertebrae: 38-43. Diagnosis: rather small, no specimen larger than 25 TL known (Ref. 78218). 38-43 (Ref. 78218) or 39-43 (Ref. 34006) vertebrae. Narrower head, mouth and oral tooth bands than M. electricus; body with moderately large scattered black spots; narrow pale bars on anterior part of caudal peduncle and caudal fin base; caudal and anal fins darkened centrally, with sharply defined pale margins; may attain 300 mm (Ref. 34006). Description: 8-9 anal fin rays (Ref. 78218). Coloration: body grey, darker on upper part and light on belly; scattered dark dots the size of the eye or smaller; juveniles have black stripe across caudal peduncle; proximal half of caudal fin white, followed by half-moon-shaped spot and white edge to the fin; white band runs from posterior half of adipose fin to anal fin; in front of this a dark saddle-like spot extends across body and anterior half of adipose fin, becoming broader from flanks upwards (Ref. 78218). | |||
| Biology: | ||||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 21 June 2019 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||