Malapterurus electricus (Gmelin, 1789)

Electric catfish

Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Classification	Actinopterygii \| Siluriformes \| Malapteruridae
Synonyms	Silurus electricus, ... more
Common names	Silure électrique, Dzidzi, Sähkömonni, ... more

You can sponsor this page

Upload your photos and videos
| All pictures | Google image | Stamps |

Image of Malapterurus electricus (Electric catfish)

Picture by Tapalla, L.

Add your observation in Fish Watcher

No AquaMaps available for this species.

Main reference

Roberts, T.R. 2000. (Ref. 34006)
Other references | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 122 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3850); max. published weight: 20.0 kg (Ref. 3799); max. reported age: 10 years (Ref. 7248)

Environment

Benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; pH range: 7.0 - 8.0; dH range: ? - 20

Climate / Range

Tropical; 23°C - 30°C (Ref. 1672); 35°N - 30°S

Africa: occurs in much of the Nile system (exclusive of Lake Victoria), the Lake Turkana, Lake Chad and Senegal basins, throughout the Niger system, and in smaller southward flowing basins in west Africa (rivers Bandama through Volta) (Ref. 44050).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9 - 11; Vertebrae: 38 - 41. Diagnosis: tooth patches narrow; pectoral fin placed near body mid-depth; 7-8 branched caudal fin rays; adults and young marked with large spots and blotches, some up to 4-5 times an eye diameter; caudal fin usually well-spotted in adults; caudal saddle and bar pattern poorly developed in all ages (Ref. 44050). Description: head deep and cylindrical; lower jaw only slightly prominent; 16-18 abdominal and 21-24 caudal vertebrae; 19 caudal fin rays (arrangement: ii-7-8-ii) (Ref. 44050). Coloration: dorsum tan or occasionally light grey; venter light tan; body bicolored but without sharp demarcation between dorsal and ventral shades; dorsum and flank marked with scattered spots and larger blotches, some as large as 4-5 times an eye diameter; blotching typically denser posteriad, where blotches may merge or overlap; venter usually unmarked, or with a few small spots; small spots usually present on paired fins of specimens larger than 15cm SL; caudal and anal fins well marked with small spots, plus some larger blotches on the caudal fin, in specimens of 15cm SL and larger; caudal fin bears a dusky bar with a pale basal crescent and a clear distal margin; dusky bar is narrow in juveniles and much broader in adults; pale basal crescent may be poorly developed in large adults, with the entire fin pigmented in the flank ground shade; caudal saddle and bar faint in juveniles, with the pale interspace matching the ground color; juveniles show a bar at the caudal fin base, and a less distinct saddle, extending ventrad to the body mid-depth; saddle has disappeared by 10cm SL, caudal bar may persist (faintly) in specimens up to 15cm SL; tiny juveniles (10-20m SL) are largely unpigmented (Ref. 44050).

Occurs among rocks or roots; favors sluggish or standing water. Active at night, feeding mainly on fish stunned by electric shocks. The electric organ, capable of discharging 300-400 V, is derived from pectoral muscle and surrounds almost the entire body. It is used both for prey capture and defense. Electric organ discharge (EOD) is intermittent and the amplitude increases with size of the fish (Ref. 10011). Responds immediately to cyclic light changes, exhibiting maximum EOD activity shortly after sunset and lowest activity just after sunrise (Ref. 10798). Its EOD duration decreased from 1.5 to 0.3 ms in response to increased temperature from 15 to 30°C (Ref. 10838). Forms pairs and breeds in excavated cavities or holes (Ref. 7248).


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Not Evaluated	Other (Ref. 4967)

Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums


More information
Countries FAO areas Ecosystems Occurrences Introductions Ecology Diet Food items Food consumption Ration	Common names Synonyms Metabolism Predators Ecotoxicology Reproduction Maturity Spawning Eggs Egg development	Age/Size Growth Length-weight Length-length Length-frequencies Morphometrics Morphology Larvae Larval dynamics Recruitment	Other references Biblio Aquaculture Aquaculture profile Strains Genetics Allele frequencies Heritability Diseases Processing	Collaborators Pictures Stamps Sounds Ciguatera Speed Swim. type Gill area Otoliths Brains Vision

Tools
Biogeographic modelling \| Bio-Quiz \| E-book \| Field guide \| Identification keys \| Length-frequency wizard \| Life-history tool \| Point map

Special reports
Check for Aquarium maintenance \| Check for Species Fact Sheets \| Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML
Summary page \| Point data \| Common names \| Photos

Internet sources

Estimation of some characteristics with mathematical models

Resilience (Ref. 69278)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
High to very high vulnerability (74 of 100)	Not marketed/unknown

Entered by Luna, Susan M.

Modified by Ortañez, Auda Kareen

Back to Search

Fish Forum

Comments & Corrections

Sign our Guest Book

FishBase mirror site : US - CGNET

Page last modified by : elaxamana, 15 July 2009

Custom Search