Teleostei (teleosts) >
Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) >
Mormyridae (Elephantfishes)
Etymology: Petrocephalus: Latin, petra = stone + Greek, kephale = head (Ref. 45335); degeni: Named after its collector, Mr. E. Degen (Ref. 1568, 91771).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
Africa: Katonga River, Lake Victoria (Ref. 91771).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 91771)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 27. It is distinguished from its congeners in the short dorsal fin originating above the first ray of the anal (Ref. 1568). Preanal length 64.1% of standard length; snout very short, the distance from the tip of the snout to the centre of the eye is 25.8% of head length (Ref. 1568, 91771). Width of mouth about 25% of head length (Ref. 1568). Teeth biscuspid, 10 in upper jaw and 22 in lower jaw (Ref. 1568).
Forms shoals and frequents sandy or gravelly bottoms on lake shore; feeds on algae, plankton and small underwater insects (Ref. 36900).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Kramer, B., R. Bills, P. Skelton and M. Wink, 2012. A critical revision of the churchill snoutfish, genus Petrocephalus Marcusen, 1854 (Actinopterygii: Teleostei: Mormyridae), from southern and eastern Africa, with the recognition of Petrocephalus tanensis, and the description of five new species. Journal of Natural History 46(35-36):2179-2258. (Ref. 91771)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01585 (0.00697 - 0.03603), b=2.85 (2.67 - 3.03), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).