Zaireichthys rotundiceps  (Hilgendorf, 1905)

Spotted sand catlet
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Image of Zaireichthys rotundiceps (Spotted sand catlet)
Zaireichthys rotundiceps
Picture by Seegers, L.

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

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Siluriformes (Catfish) > Amphiliidae (Loach catfishes) > Leptoglanidinae
Etymology: Zaireichthys: Composed form Zaire river + Greek,ichtys = fish; the habitat of this fish (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Freshwater; demersal; dH range: 20 - ?.   Tropical; 22°C - 25°C (Ref. 2059); 11°S - 22°S

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 51287)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5-6; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 11 - 13; Vertebrae: 35 - 38. This species differs from Zaireichthys lacustris and Z. maravensis in possessing a premaxillary tooth patch that is less than 40% of the mouth width; it has shorter barbels than Z. wamiensis, 0.9-1.3 in head length vs. 0.7-0.9 in head length; and it is distinguished from Z. compactus by a higher number of branched pectoral-fin rays, 7 cf. 6 (Ref. 86935). Caudal fin slightly emarginate, with the lower lobe a little longer than the upper, the upper and lower lobes each with seven or eight branched rays (Ref. 86935). Humeral process of cleithrum extending to between level of end of supraoccipital process and base of dorsal fin (Ref. 86935). Colour is generally yellowish brown with a series of about nine faint dark blotches along centre of flank and traces of additional series above and below (Ref. 86935).

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

Africa: rivers in Kenya, Tanzania, middle Zambesi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and northern Mozambique (Ref. 3236). Also in the Cunene, Okavango, Pungwe, Buzi, Save systems as well as in the Lake Malawi catchment (Ref. 7248). Presence in the Congo basin questionable (Ref. 51287, 58032, 78218). As it currently stands, this species probably represents a complex of several different species (Ref. 7248).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Inhabits fairly shallow water (Ref. 13337). Occurs over sand, usually buried with just the eyes protruding. Feeds on minute organisms. Eggs few (12-16) and large (3-5 mm diameter) suggesting possible parental care (Ref. 7248).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Roberts, T.R., 2003. Systematics and osteology of Leptoglaninae a new subfamily of the African catfish family Amphiliidae, with descriptions of three new genera and six new species. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 54(5):81-132.

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)

  Least Concern (LC) 

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Fisheries: of potential interest; aquarium: potential
FAO(Publication : search) | FisheriesWiki |

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BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | DiscoverLife | Faunafri | Fishtrace | GenBank(genome, nucleotide) | GOBASE | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | iSpecies | PubMed | Scirus | SeaLifeBase | Tree of Life | uBio | Wikipedia(Go, Search) | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates of some properties based on empirical models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00440 (-0.20345 - 0.21226), b=3.09 (2.98 - 3.21), based on LWR estimates for this family-BS (Ref. 93245).
Trophic Level (Ref. 69278):  3.4   ±0.45 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 vulnerability (18 of 100) .
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Unknown.