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Teleostei (teleosts) > Siluriformes (Catfishes) > Malapteruridae (Electric catfishes)
Etymology: Malapterurus: Greek, mala = a lot of + Greek, pteron = fin + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335); shirensis: Geographic name, in reference to the Zambezi River system, to which this species is restricted (Ref. 44050).
More on author: Roberts.

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

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical

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Africa: middle and lower Zambezi, Pungwe and lower Save (Ref. 52307).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 37.2 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 44050)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9 - 11; Vertebrae: 40 - 45. Medium-sized species probably attaining over 300 mm; vertebral counts 23+19+42(2); tooth bands moderately large, laterally and longitudinally moderately broad. Distinguished from the species in the Congo basin by its coloration, with relatively large blotches similar with M. electricus and M. minjiriya. Resembles M. electricus but differs in having more vertebrae (45 vs. 41-44), fewer gill rakers, and oral tooth bands that are laterally and longitudinally somewhat shorter. Holotype and paratype from the Shire have 2+21=23 and 3+18=21 gill rakers on the first gill arch (Ref. 34006). Tooth patches narrow; pectoral fin placed near the body mid-depth; 9 pectoral-fin rays; 9-11 anal-fin rays; total number of vertebrae 40-41; 7-8 branched caudal-fin rays; large blotches on dorsum and flank; base color grey; caudal fin at most lightly spotted (Ref. 44050).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Roberts, T.R., 2000. A review of the African electric catfish family Malapteruridae, with descriptions of new species. Occas. Pap. Ichthyol. 1:1-15. (Ref. 34006)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 06 January 2006

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Anatomy
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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=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.5 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate vulnerability (35 of 100).

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Malapterurus shirensis Roberts, 2000