Parachanna obscura (Günther, 1861)
African obscure snakehead
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Parachanna obscura
Female picture by Naus, E.
Pictures | Stamps, Coins Misc. | Google image
Female picture by Naus, E.
Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Channidae (Snakeheads)
Etymology: Parachanna: Greek, para = the side of + Greek, channe, -es = anchovy (Ref. 45335). More on author: Günther.
Etymology: Parachanna: Greek, para = the side of + Greek, channe, -es = anchovy (Ref. 45335). More on author: Günther.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology
Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Africa: widely distributed from the Senegal River to the Chad system (Ref. 3575, 57290) up to the Nile (Ref. 3575) and Congo basins (Ref. 45434, 106290, 111328), including the Volta and Niger basins and many coastal basins in West Africa (Ref. 57290). In Lower Guinea known from most coastal basins (Ref. 81648).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 50.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 31256); max. published weight: 1.0 kg (Ref. 3799)
Max length : 50.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 31256); max. published weight: 1.0 kg (Ref. 3799)
Short description Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
spines
(total): 0;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 39-45;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 26 - 32. Diagnosis: body elongate; lateral-line scales medium-sized, numbering 65-78; head depressed anteriorly, relatively long and covered with scales larger than those on body; lower jaw slightly longer than the upper, with 4-6 well developed canines; dorsal and anal fins not touching caudal fin; dorsal fin with 39-45, anal with 26-32 rays; 5-8 more or less rounded or polygonal dark blotches on sides (Ref. 57290, 81648).
Coloration: blackish to very dark olivaceous, marbled with ochre ventrally; dark lateral band on head, broadening between hind margin of eye and hind margin of gill cover; fins with more or less distinct dark spots/maculae forming oblique bands; small, rounded black spot at base of caudal fin; fingerlings (prejuveniles) ochre-coloured, with a black band running along middle of sides, from tip of snout to hind margin of caudal fin (Ref. 57290, 81648).
Inhabits marginal vegetation and floodplains. Feeds on insects and small fish (Ref. 28714). Maximum SL reported 50.0 cm (Ref. 31256) larger than maximum TL 45.5 cm (Ref. 81648).
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Main reference
Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators
Teugels, G.G., J.J. Breine and D.F.E. Thys van den Audernaerde, 1984. Channidae. p. 288-290. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Checklist of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. Vol. 2. (Ref. 3575)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
FAO(Publication : search) | FishSource |
More information
Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration
Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Spawning aggregation
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Spawning aggregation
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development
Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance
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
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion
Tools
Bio-Quiz | E-book | Field guide | Identification keys | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map | Classification Tree
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Special reports
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Internet sources
Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | Faunafri | Fishtrace | GenBank(genome, nucleotide) | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Tree of Life | Wikipedia(Go, Search) | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00759 (0.00591 - 0.00973), b=3.01 (2.94 - 3.08), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.4 ±0.56 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100) .