Teleostei (teleosts) >
Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) >
Mormyridae (Elephantfishes)
Etymology: Petrocephalus: Latin, petra = stone + Greek, kephale = head (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
Africa: Boro River in central part of Okavango Delta (Ref. 91771). Also reported from the Okavango in Angola (Ref. 120641).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 91771)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19 - 22; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 27 - 31. Diagnosis: Body depth 32.7-36.8% of standard length; anal fin length 23.5-27.0% of standard length; eye diameter as defined by orbital rims 21.8-25.0% of head length; length of snout to posterior orbital rim of eye 44.9-48.1% of head length; number of dorsal fin rays 19-22; number of scales in lateral line 39-41 (Ref. 91771). No spot below dorsal fin origin (Ref. 91771).
Found in a shallow floodplain lagoon; substrate is mud; vegetation is dense emergent grasses and water lilies (Nymphea sp.); water depth up to 2 m; lagoon flooded during winter flood cycle and dry during the low water period (Ref. 91771).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Kramer, B., R. Bills, P. Skelton and M. Wink, 2012. A critical revision of the churchill snoutfish, genus Petrocephalus Marcusen, 1854 (Actinopterygii: Teleostei: Mormyridae), from southern and eastern Africa, with the recognition of Petrocephalus tanensis, and the description of five new species. Journal of Natural History 46(35-36):2179-2258. (Ref. 91771)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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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=0.01585 (0.00697 - 0.03603), b=2.85 (2.67 - 3.03), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).