Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) >
Mormyridae (Elephantfishes)
Etymology: Mormyrops: Greek, mormyros = a fish (Sparus sp) + Greek, ops = appearance (Ref. 45335). More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Tropical; 22°C - 24°C (Ref. 12468); 10°S - 21°S
Africa: a very wide distribution area which includes most of the West African river basins (Ref. 81274), White Nile River (Ref. 3203), Uebi Shebeli and Juba River (Ref. 3203), and the Congo River basin (Ref. 52193); in southern Africa, restricted to the middle and lower Zambezi, Buzi and Pungwe (Ref. 52193). Also known from Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Albert [former Lake Mobuto] (Ref. 3203, 52193).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 32.5  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 150 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2915); max. published weight: 15.0 kg (Ref. 52193)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 0;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 21-33;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 38 - 51. Diagnosis: head depressed, mouth large and terminal; body elongated (Ref. 13337, 52193). Chin (mental swelling) absent; origin of dorsal fin behind origin of anal fin, nearer caudal fin base than tip of snout; dorsal fin shorter than anal fin; mouth width subequal to snout length: snout long (Ref. 52193). SL/Body depth 4.9-7.5; head 3.4-5.1 times in standard length; snout almost as wide as head; interorbital space wide, head length/interorbital space 2.9-6.8; variation in meristic characteristics due to differences in geographic clines (Ref. 2915).
Juveniles occur in marginal habitats, adults prefer deep quiet water between boulders and below overhangs, away from strong currents; also occurs beneath Salvinia mats and in river estuaries in Lake Kariba; juveniles prey on invertebrates, mainly shrimps and insect larvae; larger individuals feed on small cichlids, minnows and labeos; may live for 8 years or more; breeds in summer during the rainy season; mature females carry 25000 or more eggs (Ref. 7248, 52193). A fractional spawner (Ref. 10606, 10605). Affinities: M. breviceps.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Bigorne, R., 1990. Mormyridae. p. 122-184. In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux saumâtres d'Afrique de l'Ouest. tome 1. Faune Trop. 28. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, and ORSTOM, Paris. (Ref. 2915)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 123251)
CITES (Ref. 118484)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
More information
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
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Estimates 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=0.00575 (0.00320 - 0.01035), b=3.02 (2.86 - 3.18), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.61 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.08-0.33; tm > 8).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100) .