Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Characiformes (Characins) >
Distichodontidae (Distichodus)
Etymology: Distichodus: Greek, di = two + Greek, stix, stichos = line, row (Ref. 45335). More on author: Günther.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 40.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2936); max. published weight: 1.5 kg (Ref. 3799)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 22-27;
Anal
soft rays: 13 - 16. Body depth 2.6-3.4x, head length 4-5.4x SL. Caudal peduncle length <= its height. Round snout. Eye diameter 3.5 (juveniles)-5.7x head length. Scaly caudal with non-rounded lobes. Body generally gray, darker at back lighter at belly. Upper portion of eye reddish, dorsal part with black spots. Young with one black spot at caudal peduncle extending to central part of caudal fin; one orange spot followed by one black spot on lateral line at level of pectorals; sides with black vertically elongated spots.
Africa: Niger (downstream of Bamako), Volta, Ogun, Cross, Chad basin, Wouri and Nile. Also known from Senegal (Ref. 7094).
Maximum TL was recorded at 50 cm. Prefers flowing water over rocky bottoms (Ref. 7094). Feeds on vegetation and periphyton (Ref. 28714).
Gosse, J.-P. and E.J. Coenen, 1990. Distichodontidae. p. 237-260. 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 and O.R.S.T.O.M., Paris, 384 p.
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01642 (-0.17853 - 0.21137), b=3.01 (2.90 - 3.12), based on LWR estimates for this family-BS (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 (35 of 100) .