Teleostei (teleosts) >
Characiformes (Characins) >
Alestidae (African tetras)
Etymology: Micralestes: Greek, mikros = small + Greek,lestes = thief (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Boulenger.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 7.6; dH range: 18 - 25. Tropical; 22°C - 26°C (Ref. 2059)
Africa: widely distributed in the Congo River basin (Ref. 42032) in Central African Republic (Ref. 45441) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 42032). Also reported from the Rusizi and Malagarasi in Burundi (Ref. 98755), the Lake Chad basin in Central African Republic (Ref. 83569) and the Lake Tanganyika basin in Tanzania (Ref. 4967).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 10.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4967)
Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 15 - 16. Body height 2.9-3.9 times in standard length (Ref. 42032). Head length 3.7-3.9 times in standard length (Ref. 42032). Cuspid number: external row on upper jaw 5-6, internal row on upper jaw 6-8, external row on lower jaw 5-8, internal row on lower jaw 1 (Ref. 42032). Weakly developed black mediolateral band in front of the pelvic fins but more expressed to the back of the body (Ref. 42032). Mediolateral band silvery in live specimens (Ref. 42032). Fins without black spot (Ref. 42032).
Inhabits lakes (Ref. 4967).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Paugy, D., 1984. Characidae. p. 140-183. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. Vol. 1. (Ref. 5331)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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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=0.01148 (0.00528 - 0.02495), b=3.00 (2.82 - 3.18), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±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).