Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Écologie
; eau douce démersal; potamodrome (Ref. 51243). Tropical; 22°C - 24°C (Ref. 12468); 10°S - 21°S
Africa: a very wide distribution area which includes most of the West African river basins (Ref. 81274), the White Nile, Uebi Shebeli and Juba (Ref. 3203), and the Congo River basin (Ref. 52193). In southern Africa, restricted to the middle and lower Zambezi, Buzi and Pungwe (Ref. 52193). Also known from Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Albert [former Lake Mobuto] (Ref. 3203, 52193).
Length at first maturity / Taille / Poids / Âge
Maturity: Lm 32.5 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 150 cm TL mâle / non sexé; (Ref. 2915); poids max. publié: 15.0 kg (Ref. 52193)
Épines dorsales (Total) : 0; Rayons mous dorsaux (Total) : 21 - 33; Épines anales: 0; Rayons mous anaux: 38 - 51. Diagnosis: head depressed (Ref. 13337, 52193). Body elongated (Ref. 2915, 13337, 52193), shallow (Ref. 28714), ratio standard length/body depth 4.9-7.5 (Ref. 81274). Mouth large (Ref. 13337, 52193) and terminal (Ref. 13337, 28714, 52193, 81274), with 16-28 teeth in upper, and 14-28 in lower jaw (the number of teeth increases with size) (Ref. 81274). Chin (mental swelling) absent (Ref. 52193). Origin of dorsal fin behind origin of anal fin, nearer caudal fin base than tip of snout (Ref. 4903, 52193). Dorsal fin shorter than anal fin; mouth width subequal to snout length (Ref. 52193). Snout long (Ref. 52193), rounded, its length 1/5-1/4 that of the head (Ref. 4903), almost as broad as head (Ref. 2915, 81274). 21-33 dorsal- and 38-50 anal-fin rays (Ref. 52193, 81274). Head 3.4-5.1 times in standard length; interorbital space relatively broad, ratio head length/interorbital width 2.9-6.8; wide ranges for most of the meristic characters are caused by the existence of geographical clines (Ref. 2915, 81274).
Juveniles occur in marginal habitats, adults prefer deep quiet water between boulders and below overhangs, away from strong currents; also occurs beneath Salvinia mats and in river estuaries in Lake Kariba; juveniles prey on invertebrates, mainly shrimps and insect larvae (Ref. 7248, 52193). Adults/larger individuals are piscivorous (Ref. 28714), feeding on small cichlids, minnows and labeos (Ref. Ref. 7248, 52193). May live for 8 years or more; breeds in summer during the rainy season; mature females carry 25000 or more eggs (Ref. 7248, 52193). A fractional spawner (Ref. 10606, 10605). Affinities: M. breviceps.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larves
Bigorne, R., 1990. Mormyridae. p. 122-184. In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux saumâtres d'Afrique de l'Ouest. tome 1. Faune Trop. 28. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, and ORSTOM, Paris. (Ref. 2915)
Statut dans la liste rouge de l'IUCN (Ref. 130435)
Menace pour l'homme
Harmless
Utilisations par l'homme
Pêcheries: commercial; pêche sportive: oui
Outils
Articles particuliers
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Sources Internet
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=0.00562 (0.00422 - 0.00750), b=2.99 (2.91 - 3.07), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref.
93245).
Niveau trophique (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.61 se; based on food items.
Résilience (Ref.
120179): Faible, temps minimum de doublement de population : 4,5 à 14 années (K=0.08-0.33; tm > 8).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 89 [41, 209] mg/100g; Iron = 1.32 [0.61, 2.81] mg/100g; Protein = 17.7 [15.3, 20.1] %; Omega3 = 0.285 [0.119, 0.717] g/100g; Selenium = 117 [42, 282] μg/100g; VitaminA = 21 [7, 66] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.934 [0.594, 1.879] mg/100g (wet weight);
