Actinopteri (ray-finned fishes) >
Anabantiformes (Gouramies, snakeheads) >
Channidae (Snakeheads)
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
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range - m (Ref. ), usually - m (Ref. ). Tropical; 26°C - 28°C (Ref. 1672); 14°N - 3°S
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)
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
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)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 124695)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
More information
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingNutrientsMass conversion
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00759 (0.00606 - 0.00950), b=3.02 (2.96 - 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) .
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 148 [82, 279] mg/100g ; Iron = 1.16 [0.69, 2.00] mg/100g ; Protein = 17.8 [16.1, 19.4] % ; Omega3 = 0.207 [0.093, 0.466] g/100g ; Selenium = 74.4 [34.0, 171.0] μg/100g ; VitaminA = 24.1 [9.3, 64.1] μg/100g ; Zinc = 1.61 [1.04, 2.38] mg/100g (wet weight);
