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Teleostei (teleosts) > Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels) > Mastacembelidae (Spiny eels)
Etymology: Mastacembelus: Greek, mastax, -agos = bite + Greek, emballo = to throw oneself (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.

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

Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 24°C - 30°C (Ref. 12468)

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Africa: Ouémé basin (Benin) (Ref. 57415, 81678) up to the Ntem (Cameroon) (Ref. 81678), including the Lake Chad basin (Ref. 57415). Also known from Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Poo) in Equatorial Guinea (Ref. 81678). Reported from the middle Congo River basin (Ref. 6060, 46252), but this is questionable and unconfirmed in Ref. 57415 or 81678.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 34.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57415)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 24 - 33; Dorsal soft rays (total): 93 - 143; Anal soft rays: 90 - 140; Vertebrae: 95 - 118. Diagnosis: distance from tip of snout to last externally visible dorsal spine relatively short, 43.2-57.9% SL, decreasing with size (Ref. 57415, 81678). Postanal length relatively long, 44.1-58.3, increasing with size (Ref. 57415, 81678), comparable to or longer than preanal length, 40.0-51.8% SL (m=46.6)(Ref. 57415, 81678). Distance from tip of snout to last externally visible anal spine relatively short, 44.3-57.3 SL, decreasing with size (Ref. 57415, 81678). 1st dorsal spine situated clearly posterior to posterior edge of pectoral fin (Ref. 57415), distance from posterior edge of pectoral fin to origin of first dorsal spine 8.9-89.3% HL (Ref. 57415, 81678). Gill opening small, its distance to dorsal pectoral fin base relatively long, 8.3-14.9% HL (mean 11.5%); 23+1 to 32+1 (median 27+1) dorsal spines (Ref. 81678). Distance from anterior border of snout to first anal spine 42.1-53.5% SL (m=48.2), decreasing with size (Ref. 57415).

Maximum reported total length 354mm (Ref. 57415, 81678).

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

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Vreven, E.J., 2003. Mastacembelidae. p. 708-737 In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douce et saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, Tome 2. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 40. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgique, Museum National d'Histoire Naturalle, Paris, France and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France. 815 p. (Ref. 57415)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 04 June 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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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=0.00257 (0.00122 - 0.00544), b=2.97 (2.79 - 3.15), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.8 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (32 of 100).

Mastacembelus cryptacanthus Günther, 1867