Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical; 11°S - 20°S
Africa: Cunene, Okavango, Upper Zambezi and Kafue systems. A similar, possibly identical, species (Rhadalestes rhodesiensis) occurs in the Zambian Congo system (Lakes Bangweulu and Mweru, and Luapula River).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 13337)
Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 2 - 3; Anal soft rays: 16 - 19. Can be easily confused with Micralestes acutidens but has a more slender body with no black tip to the dorsal fin. Does not possess a pair of conical teeth behind row of teeth in lower jaw as in M. acutidens.
Shoals in shallow, vegetated marginal and floodplain habitats. Appears to prefer a swampy environment to open water (Ref. 13337). Feeds on small aquatic insects and other invertebrates. A partial spawner, breeding during high-water periods (Ref. 7248). Known to migrate up rivers and on to floodplains during flood season (Ref. 13337).
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
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5078 [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): 3.3 ±0.39 se; based on food items.
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).