Teleostei (teleosts) >
Characiformes (Characins) >
Citharinidae (Lutefishes)
Etymology: Citharinops: Latin, cithara = lire like instrument + Greek, ops = appearance (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Pellegrin.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Tropical
Africa: Chad, Bénué, Niger and Volta basins (Ref. 81281). Previously, 2 subspecies were recognized: Citharinops distichodoides distichodoides in Chad and Bénué basins (Ref. 2938, 81281), and Citharinops distichodoides thomasi in Niger and Volta basins (Ref. 2938, 7095, 81281).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 54 - ? cm
Max length : 84.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2938); max. published weight: 4.6 kg (Ref. 3799)
Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 19; Anal soft rays: 20 - 23. Diagnosis: more elongate than Cithardium and Citharinus species; body depth 2.2-2.7x and head length 3-3.7x SL; caudal peduncle 0.7-1.1x long than deep; head 1.6-2.0x long than wide; short snout, 1.0-1.7x of eye diameter; pectoral fins almost half of head length; adipose fin 0.3-0.7x its distance to dorsal fin; caudal fin with symmetrical lobes (tips becoming round in adults); cycloid scales; scale formula 7.5-9.5/50-56/10.5-12.5; 7.5-9.5 scales between lateral line and dorsal fin origin; 16-19 dorsal fin branched rays; 20-23 anal fin branched rays (Ref. 2938, 81281).
Monospecific, distinguished from other genus of family by the body form which is more elongated than 2 other genus: Citharidium and Citharinus (Ref. 2938).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Gosse, J.-P., 1990. Citharinidae. p. 261-268. In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douces et saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Tome I. Coll. Faune Tropicale n° XXVIII. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren and O.R.S.T.O.M., Paris, 384 p. (Ref. 2938)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 1.0039 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01585 (0.00617 - 0.04070), b=2.96 (2.74 - 3.18), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.0 ±0.1 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): High vulnerability (61 of 100).