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Malapterurus beninensis Murray, 1855

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Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Siluriformes (Catfishes) > Malapteruridae (Electric catfishes)
Etymology: Malapterurus: Greek, mala = a lot of + Greek, pteron = fin + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335);  beninensis: The specific epithet is geographic, in general reference to southern Nigeria, where the types originated (Ref. 44050).

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

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: coastal plain of West and Central Africa from the lower Volta River (Ghana) to the Chiloango system (Angola and Congo DR)(Ref. 44050, 57130, 81645), and on the island of Fernando Po (Ref. 44050).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 22.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 34006)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 11; Vertebrae: 33 - 38. Diagnosis: body cylindrical; tooth patches narrow; vertically oriented pectoral fins, placed near body mid-depth; 6-7 branched caudal-fin rays; pectoral-fin rays usually 8, rarely 7 or 9; 34-38 vertebrae; eyes relatively small, interorbital space relatively broad; caudal saddle and bar pattern quite distinct in juveniles and young and usually apparent in adults (Ref. 44050), but often subdued (Ref. 81645). Dorsum and flank nearly always spotted, sometimes extensively (Ref. 44050, 81645). Commonly 10-15 gill rakers on first arch (total range 4-22)(Ref. 44050). Caudal saddle and anal-fin pigmentation not continuous (Ref. 44050, 81645). Venter often dusky, occasionally lightly spotted (Ref. 81645).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Mostly occurs in lowland habitats (Ref. 81645).

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

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Norris, S.M., 2002. A revision of the African electric catfishes, family Malapteruridae (Teleostei, Siluriformes), with erection of a new genus and descriptions of fourteen new species, and an annotated bibliography. Ann. Mus. R. Afr. Centr., Sci. Zool., 289:1-155. (Ref. 44050)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 04 June 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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References

Tools

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoobank | Zoological Record

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 (0.00451 - 0.02792), b=3.00 (2.79 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.4   ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low vulnerability (17 of 100).