Teleostei (teleosts) >
Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) >
Mormyridae (Elephantfishes)
Etymology: Heteromormyrus: Greek, heteros = other + Greek mormyros = a kind of fish similar to Boops sp. (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Dr William John Ansorge (1850–1913) was an English explorer and collector who was active in Africa in the second half of the 19th century. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Boulenger.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 11°S - 21°S
Africa: Cuanza River in Angola (Ref. 52193, 128501), also Cunene, Okavango, upper Zambezi, Buzi and Pungwe rivers, and an isolated population occurs in the Ruo River (lower Zambezi system) in Malawi (Ref. 52193). In the Congo basin known from the Kwango in Angola (Ref. 11970). Possibly also in the Inkisi River (lower Congo) (Ref. 12818, 120641), Lufira and Luwombwa rivers (upper Congo basin) (Ref. 12818) but these need confirmation.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52193)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 19; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 24 - 26. Diagnosis: dorsal fin origin nearer caudal fin base than tip of snout; origin of dorsal fin behind origin of anal fin; dorsal fin shorter than anal fin; chin (mental swelling) present but feebly developed; dorsal fin with 19 rays, anal fin with 24-26 rays (Ref. 52193).
Found in rocky habitats in flowing waters (Ref. 7248, 52193). Feeds on small aquatic invertebrates (Ref. 7248, 52193) such as insect larvae (Ref. 7248).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Sullivan, J.P.: Hopkins, C.D., S. Pirro, R. Peterson, A. Chakona, T.I. Mutizwa, C. Mukweze Mulelenu, F.H. Alqahtani, E. Vreven and C.B. Dillman, 2022. Mitogenome recovered from a 19th century holotype by shotgun sequencing supplies a generic name for an orphaned clade of African weakly electric fishes (Osteoglossomorpha, Mormyridae). ZooKeys 1129:163-196. (Ref. 128501)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5002 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00562 (0.00244 - 0.01296), b=3.05 (2.85 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.40 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
