Teleostei (teleosts) >
Clupeiformes (Herrings) >
Dorosomatidae (Gizzard shads and sardinellas)
Etymology: Microthrissa: Grek, mikros = small + Greek, thrissa, -es = shad (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Poll.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical; 6°S - 10°S
Africa: endemic to Lake Mweru (Ref. 188, 28136) in Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 47399) and Zambia (Ref. 52959).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 246)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 22; Vertebrae: 39 - 41. Diagnosis: Body slender, its depth about 20-25% of standard length; scutes strongly keeled, beginning just behind base of last pectoral fin ray, about 10-12 pre-pelvic and 5-8 post-pelvic scutes; snout rather pointed; lower jaw not or slightly projecting, with small teeth limited to anterior part; pre-maxillae with a single row of 11-24 small conical teeth directed inwards; maxilla slender, its blade a little more than 3 times longer than deep, upper edge a little ridged; posterior supra-maxilla slender, spatulate, with distinct anterior shaft, shaft longer than blade; lower gillrakers 18-20 (Ref. 188, 47399). Also characterized by 33-40 scales in a longitudinal series and anal fin with 15-22 rays (Ref. 47399, 93833). It resembles small Microthrissa congica, which has a much blunter snout and less scales in a longitudinal series, 26-35 vs. 33-40 (Ref. 188, 47399).
A lacustrine species, but perhaps also in small streams or rivers feeding Lake Mweru (Ref. 188).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Gourène, G. and G.G. Teugels, 1989. Révision systématique du genre Microthrissa Boulenger, 1902 des eaux douces africaines (Pisces, Clupeidae). Rev. Hydrobiol. Trop. 22(2):129-156. (Ref. 47399)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00912 (0.00433 - 0.01920), b=3.04 (2.87 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.0 ±0.3 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).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 699 [292, 2,489] mg/100g; Iron = 6.02 [2.87, 12.04] mg/100g; Protein = 18.7 [17.3, 20.2] %; Omega3 = 0.958 [0.243, 4.041] g/100g; Selenium = 87.5 [24.0, 299.9] μg/100g; VitaminA = 49.2 [12.9, 175.6] μg/100g; Zinc = 4.81 [2.65, 8.57] mg/100g (wet weight);
