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Teleostei (teleosts) > Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels) > Mastacembelidae (Spiny eels)
Etymology: Mastacembelus: Greek, mastax, -agos = bite + Greek, emballo = to throw oneself (Ref. 45335).

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

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical

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Africa: endemic to the Sanaga River basin in Cameroon (Ref. 6060, 81678).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 24.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81678)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 24 - 26; Dorsal soft rays (total): 89 - 103; Anal soft rays: 80 - 93; Vertebrae: 86 - 90. Diagnosis: head relatively long, 15.7-21.1% SL (mean 18.2%), decreasing with size; origin of first dorsal spine situated before posterior edge of pectoral fin, (-9.5)-(-0.5)% SL [mean (-6.3%)]; body relatively deep, 7.8-9.6% SL (mean 8.7%); distance from tip of snout to last externally visible dorsal spine 49.0-56.2% SL (mean 52.1%), decreasing with size; origin of soft dorsal fin clearly anterior to origin of soft anal fin; lower jaw length 21.3-26.9% HL (mean 23.9%), increasing with size; distance from gill opening to dorsal pectoral fin base relatively short, 4.3-9.6% HL (mean 6.9%); 23+1 to 25+1 (median 25+1) dorsal spines (Ref. 81678).

Occurs in slow streams with a sandy bottom (Ref. 6060). Maximum reported total length 252 mm (Ref. 81678).

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Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Travers, R.A., G. Eynikel and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde, 1986. Mastacembelidae. p. 415-427. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 6060)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 16 February 2009

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=0.00257 (0.00122 - 0.00544), b=2.97 (2.79 - 3.15), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.7 ±0.6 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 (19 of 100).

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Mastacembelus sanagali Thys van den Audenaerde, 1972