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Serranochromis macrocephalus (Boulenger, 1899)

Purpleface largemouth
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Serranochromis macrocephalus
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Zimbabwe country information

Common names: Purpleface largemouth
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: common (usually seen) | Ref: Bell-Cross, G. and J.L. Minshull, 1988
Importance: commercial | Ref: Bell-Cross, G. and J.L. Minshull, 1988
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Known from the Upper Zambezi. One of the three largemouth species to invade Lake Kariba recently, where it has colonized the middle reaches. Comprises up to 5% by weight of the total catch in the gill net fisheries in the Upper Zambezi. Also Ref. 3126, 58363.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.zamnet.zm/zamnet/alcom/broch.htm
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Bell-Cross, G. and J.L. Minshull, 1988
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) > Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Serranochromis: Latin, serra = saw + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335).
  More on author: Boulenger.

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

Freshwater; demersal.   Tropical; 11°S - 21°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the Cunene River system (Angola and Namibia); Okovango River and swamps; upper Zambezi system including Lake Cameia, Kafue River and Luangwa system (Ref. 5693). Luapula-Mweru, Lulua River, Angolan Kasai (upper and middle Congo River basin)(Ref. 5693, 97233) and Cuanza River in Angola (Ref. 120641).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 17.5, range 15 - 20 cm
Max length : 35.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7248); max. published weight: 1.5 kg (Ref. 5693); max. reported age: 6 years (Ref. 7248)

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Common in a broad range of habitats from mainstream margins to floodplain channels and lagoons; preys on insects and small fish, including mormyrids and barbs, which are taken near the bottom; breeds in spring and early summer at low water before the annual floods arrive; relatively few eggs are laid and mouthbrooded; matures after 1-2 years (Ref. 7248). Agamous, maternal mouthbrooder (Ref. 52307). Also caught with drawnets.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

A mouth brooding species.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Kullander, Sven O. | Collaborators

Skelton, P.H. and G.G. Teugels, 1991. Serranochromis. p. 442-453. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse, G.G. Teugels and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 4. (Ref. 5693)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 01 May 2009

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
FAO(Publication : search) | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5005   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01413 (0.00804 - 0.02483), b=3.02 (2.88 - 3.16), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  4.2   ±0.71 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2; tmax=5.5).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low vulnerability (22 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Unknown.