Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical; 11°S - 21°S
Africa: Middle and Lower Zambezi, including Lake Kariba, and Pungwe and Buzi rivers in Mozambique (Ref. 52193). Reports from Congo River basin refer to other species of Distichodus (Ref. 96324, 122092).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 57.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52193); max. published weight: 7.6 kg (Ref. 52193)
Inhabits swift flowing water, rapids or quiet, deep, sandy or rocky pools (Ref. 13337). Found only in the mainstream of larger rivers and even in Lake Kariba prefers more riverine habitats; omnivorous, feeds on insects, snails, small fish, and aquatic plants; breeds in summer, moving upstream to suitable sites (Ref. 7248, 52193).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Daget, J. and J.-P. Gosse, 1984. Distichodontidae. p. 184-211. 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. 7094)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
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=0.01549 (0.00716 - 0.03351), b=3.05 (2.87 - 3.23), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.49 se; based on food items.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (48 of 100).