Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Characiformes (Characins) > Alestidae (African tetras)
Etymology: Alestes: Greek, alestes, -oy = miller (Ref. 45335). More on author: Günther.

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical, preferred ?

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

Africa: Congo River basin: from Pool Malebo (Ref. 42480) up to the upper Lualaba (Ref. 2970, 42019, 45616, 80290) and Luapula (Ref. 1878, 42135, 80290, 85675) in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Angola and Zambia. Lower Guinea: found in coastal River basins in Cameroon, Gabon and the Republic of Congo (Ref. 80290). Also reported from Lake Tanganyika, the Malagarazi River (Ref. 36901) and the Rusizi River (Ref. 98755).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 60.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2880)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 19 - 23. Diagnosis: very well developed adipose eyelid (Ref. 42019, 80290, 81279); 18-20 branched anal-fin rays (Ref. 2880, 42019, 80290, 81279). 16-20 branched rays in Tanganyika specimens (Ref. 36899, 45485). 17-22 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; dorsal-fin origin at about same level of pelvic-fin insertions (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). Sexual dimorphism affecting shape of anal fin (Ref. 80290, 81279).

Omnivore; remnants of insect larvae (Ref. 36901), weed, beetles and other insects (Ref. 42135) and fish (Ref. 36899) found in stomach. Juveniles predominantly insectivore, piscivore as adults (Ref. 85675).

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

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Paugy, D., 1990. Characidae. p. 195-236. 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 et O.R.S.T.O.M., Paris, 384 p. (Ref. 2880)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 109396)

Least Concern (LC)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial

FAO(Publication : search) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

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

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5078 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01202 (0.00657 - 0.02201), b=3.03 (2.87 - 3.19), based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 2.0 ±0.00 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (25 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Alestes macrophthalmus Günther, 1867