Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; pelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Tropical; 22°C - 26°C (Ref. 1672)
Africa: present along the Atlantic border of the African continent from Gambia to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 2880, 5331, 80290, 81279). Generally found in upper as well as lower river courses and may even occur in brackish waters of estuarine areas (Ref. 2880, 81279). Only Brycinus species that inhabits smaller water courses (Ref. 80290).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 4.5 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.4 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57961)
Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 18 - 26. Diagnosis: fronto-parietal fontanel narrow, but always present; 25-34 lateral line scales; 5.5 scales between lateral line and dorsal fin; 15-23 anal fin branched rays; 13-15 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; 6 teeth in outer premaxillary row (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). Head length/snout length 3.3-4.4; 8.5-11.5 predorsal scales (Ref. 80290). Precaudal spot elongate, extending to end of caudal fin (Ref. 81279).
Generally found in the upper and lower reaches of big rivers and also in estuarine zones of mixohaline waters (Ref. 2880). The only Brycinus species to penetrate small rivers and streams (Ref. 2880), but such specimens are always smaller than those in large rivers (Ref. 80290). Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; minimum aquarium size 100 cm (Ref. 51150).
Spawns in pairs or schools.
Paugy, D. and S.A. Schaefer, 2007. Alestidae. p. 347-411. In M.L.J. Stiassny, G.G. Teugels and C.D. Hopkins (eds.) Poissons d'eaux douces et saumâtres de basse Guinée, ouest de l'Afrique centrale/The fresh and brackish water fishes of Lower Guinea, west-central Africa. Vol. 1. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 42. Istitut de recherche pour le développement, Paris, France, Muséum nationale d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France and Musée royale de l'Afrique centrale, Tervuren, Belgique. 800 p. (Ref. 80290)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Aquarium: commercial
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=0.01148 (0.00903 - 0.01460), b=3.04 (2.98 - 3.10), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.2 ±0.0 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec = 160).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 266 [108, 667] mg/100g; Iron = 2.29 [1.13, 5.39] mg/100g; Protein = 18.4 [16.3, 20.7] %; Omega3 = 0.292 [0.153, 0.547] g/100g; Selenium = 34 [16, 75] μg/100g; VitaminA = 19.7 [7.5, 53.6] μg/100g; Zinc = 2.64 [1.87, 3.74] mg/100g (wet weight);
