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Teleostei (teleosts) > Characiformes (Characins) > Alestidae (African tetras)
Etymology: Brycinus: Greek, ebrykon, brykomai = to bite, to gnaw (Ref. 45335).

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

Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical

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

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52331)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

It has sharply pointed fang-like teeth and a muzzle-like prognathous snout (Ref. 53378). Pale fawn with silvery scales, darker on the dorsal surface (Ref. 53378). Both lobes of the caudal fin marked with red chromatophores on the lower lobe (Ref. 53378). The dorsal surface is lightly patterned with melanophores in preserved specimens, heavier in a band on the middorsal line (Ref. 53378). Characteristic patches of black pigment are present on the snout, on the lower jaw and on the mid-lateral portion of the caudal peduncle (Ref. 53378). Distal margin of caudal fin with broad edging of black pigment (Ref. 53378).

Pelagic, restricted to offshore waters; feeds chiefly on prawns, zooplankton and insects with an increasing proportion of small fish in larger individuals; spawns within lake; dominant species in terms of standing stock in Lake Turkana (Ref. 53378).

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

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=0.01230 (0.00541 - 0.02797), b=2.99 (2.81 - 3.17), 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).

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Brycinus ferox (Hopson & Hopson, 1982)