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Teleostei (teleosts) > Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels) > Mastacembelidae (Spiny eels)
Etymology: Mastacembelus: Greek, mastax, -agos = bite + Greek, emballo = to throw oneself (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; demersal. Tropical

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Africa: endemic to the Sanaga River basin in Cameroon (Ref. 81678).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 37.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81678)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 30 - 33; Dorsal soft rays (total): 84 - 98; Anal soft rays: 78 - 89; Vertebrae: 91 - 94. Diagnosis: 29+1 - 32+1 (median 31+1) dorsal spines; postorbital length 60.9-65.0% HL (mean 62.8%); pectoral fin 23.1-27.2% HL (mean 25.2%); distance from anterior border of snout to last externally visible dorsal spine relatively long, 55.6-59.9% SL (mean 58.2%), decreasing with size; origin of soft dorsal fin at about same level as origin of soft anal fin; lower jaw relatively short, its length 14.4-23.1% HL (mean 18.3%), increasing with size; anterior origin of first dorsal spine situated before or just above posterior edge of pectoral fin, (- 12.2)-0.0% HL [mean (- 5.7%)]; distance from gill opening to dorsal pectoral fin base 4.3-9.6% HL (mean 6.9%) (Ref. 81678).

Inhabits slow streams with sandy bottoms (Ref. 6060). Maximum reported total length 392 mm (Ref. 81678).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Travers, R.A., G. Eynikel and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde, 1986. Mastacembelidae. p. 415-427. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 6060)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 16 February 2009

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00257 (0.00122 - 0.00544), b=2.97 (2.79 - 3.15), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.9 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate vulnerability (36 of 100).

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