Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels) >
Mastacembelidae (Spiny eels)
Etymology: Mastacembelus: Greek, mastax, -agos = bite + Greek, emballo = to throw oneself (Ref. 45335). More on author: Sauvage.
Issue
The species Mastacembelus goro Boulenger, 1902 is considered valid in Eschmeyer (CofF ver. May 2011: Ref. 86870). It is treated here a synonym of Mastacembelus niger Sauvage, 1879 following the recent work of Vreven (2008: 81678).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical, preferred ?
Africa: rivers between Mbonge River basin in Cameroon and Shiloango River basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 81678), and in the Congo River basin (Ref. 81678) from the Kinsuka rapids and Pool Malebo (Ref. 41585) up to the Wagenia Falls (Ref. 106245). Reports of Mastacembelus flavomarginatus from Kounkouré River (Ref. 3009) and Sassandra River (Ref. 3057) are misidentifications for respectively Mastacembelus kakrimensis (Ref. 55095) and Mastacembelus praensis (Ref. 57415).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 37.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81678)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Occurs in shallow waters (Ref. 6060).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Travers, R.A., G. Eynikel and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde, 1986. Mastacembelidae. p. 415-427. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse 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. 2. (Ref. 6060)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 109396)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
More information
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningFecundityEggsEgg development
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00282 (0.00126 - 0.00629), b=2.96 (2.77 - 3.15), based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
69278): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100) .