| Family: |
Alestidae (African tetras) |
| Max. size: |
7 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
pelagic; freshwater; pH range: 6.5; dH range: 12, |
| Distribution: |
Africa: Benito (Mbini), Chiloango, Kouilou, Loeme and Ogooué rivers of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea (Ref. 80290) and the Bengo and Congo River basins of Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 80290). |
| Diagnosis: |
Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 21-25. Diagnosis: 14-17 gill rakers on lower limb of first arch; flanks with lateral pigment band, more or less restricted to posterior third of trunk and caudal fin base, extending onto median caudal fin rays; dorsal and ventral caudal fin lobes not pigmented (Ref. 80290).
Description: body relatively robust, body depth 35-40% of SL and head length 25-28% of SL; mouth terminal to slightly superior, lower jaw prominent, its depth about 1.5x that of upper jaw; premaxilla with 2 teeth in outer row each bearing 3-5 cusps, 4 teeth in inner row each bearing 5-7 cusps; dentary with 4 teeth in outer row each bearing 5-7 cusps, a monocuspid inner dentary tooth present posterior to outer row teeth; lateral line canal complete, 32-35 tubes, ultimate canal-bearing scale contacting caudal fin rays by 1-2 non-canal-bearing scales; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 19-22 branched rays (Ref. 80290).
Coloration: flanks silvery, with dark lateral pigment band more or less restricted to posterior third of trunk and caudal fin base, extending onto median caudal fin rays; band especially prominent at caudal fin base and on medial fin rays, yielding a strong diamond-shaped mark; dark humeral spot present; opercle with dark diffuse pigment; fins generally yellowish to dusky, margins trimmed in dark pigment (Ref. 80290). |
| Biology: |
|
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 01 May 2009 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.