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Teleostei (teleosts) > Characiformes (Characins) > Alestidae (African tetras)

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

Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical

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Africa: endemic to Lake Turkana (Ref. 53378, 52331).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 53378)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

It has a shorter snout compared to Alestes nurse, a slightly larger eye and narrower interorbital space (Ref. 53378). The mouth of this species is noticeably superior and subterminal, with a predominance of unicuspid outer maxillary teeth (Ref. 53378).

A pelagic species, usually occurring with A. ferox, widespread throughout the open waters of Lake Turkana; situated in midwater scattering layer during daylight hours; disperses through surface waters after dark; feeds chiefly on zooplankton with occasional small insects; spawns within the lake; matures at exceptionally small size for an Alestes (Ref. 53378).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Hopson, A.J. and J. Hopson, 1982. The fishes of Lake Turkana with a description of three new species: Alestes ferox sp. nov., Alestes minutus sp. nov. (Pisces: Characidae) and Barbus turkanae sp. nov. (Pisces: Cyprinidae). p. 283-347. In A.J. Hopson (ed.) Lake Turkana. A report on the findings of the Lake Turkana project 1972-1975. Overseas Development Administration, London. 1873 p. (Ref. 53378)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)

Vulnerable (VU) (B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)); Date assessed: 05 July 2022

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=0.01122 (0.00496 - 0.02540), b=3.01 (2.83 - 3.19), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.1 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).

Brachyalestes minutus (Hopson & Hopson, 1982)