Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Clariidae (Airbreathing catfishes)
Etymology: Clarias: Greek, chlaros = lively, in reference to the ability of the fish to live for a long time out of water; monsembulai: Named in honour of Raoul Monsembula Iyaba, professor of biology, University of Kinshasa, for collecting the type series of this species, and in recognition of his substantial contributions to central African ichthyology (Ref. 127574).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
Africa: Momboyo, Luilaka, Salonga and Yenge river systems within the Cuvette Centrale of the middle Congo River basin in Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 127574).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 24.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 127574)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 78 - 86; Anal soft rays: 53 - 64; Vertebrae: 58 - 61. Diagnosis: Clarias monsembulai can be distinguished from all congeners, with the exception of C. buthupogon, by its exceptionally long maxillary barbels, 60% of standard length or greater, vs. maxillary barbels less than 60% of standard length, usually considerably less (Ref. 127574). It differs from C. buthupogon in the absence of fine, pale spots over the surface of the body and by an exposed bony surface of the cleithrum reaching 14-20% of head length, vs. cleithrum deeply imbedded in soft tissue with only a narrow bony ridge visible externally (Ref. 127574). Clarias monsembulai can be further differentiated from C. angolensis, the species with which it shares closest phenotypic similarity, by longer nasal barbels, 37-51% of standard length vs. 22-34%; longer internal mandibular barbels, 29-37% of standard length vs. 16-27%; longer external mandibular barbels, 45-57% of standard length vs. 24-40%; and by the colouration of maxillary barbels which are white or cream-coloured distally over more than half of their length vs. brown or grey over more than half their length (Ref. 127574).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Bernt, M.J. and Stiassny M.L.J., 2022. A new species of air-breathing catfish (Clariidae: Clarias) from Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Am. Mus. Novit. 3990:1-20. (Ref. 127574)
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 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.5 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 (20 of 100).
