Classification / Names
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Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels) >
Mastacembelidae (Spiny eels)
Etymology: Mastacembelus: Greek, mastax, -agos = bite + Greek, emballo = to throw oneself (Ref. 45335); apectoralis: The species name, apectoralis, an adjective, alludes to the absence of pectoral fins, and is formed from the Latin 'a', meaning without, and 'pectoralis', a Latinized version of pectoral (Ref. 86808).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / distribuzione batimetrica / distribution range
Ecologia
; acqua dolce benthopelagico; distribuzione batimetrica 3 - 7 m (Ref. 86808). Tropical
Africa: Lake Tanganyika in Zambia (Ref. 86808).
Size / Peso / Age
Maturità: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.3 cm SL maschio/sesso non determinato; (Ref. 86808)
Short description
Chiavi di identificazione | Morfologia | Morfometria
Spine dorsali (totale) : 32 - 34; Raggi dorsali molli (totale) : 58 - 69; Spine anali: 3; Raggi anali molli: 66 - 67; Vertebre: 77 - 80. Diagnosis: Mastacembelus apectoralis differs from all other mastacembelid species by the absence of pectoral fins (Ref. 86808). It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and is placed within the Lake Tanganyika species flock; it differs from other members of this radiation by a near absence of scales, present only on the margin of the caudal peduncle and between caudal-fin rays, a very short rostral appendage and well-developed adductor mandibulae muscles forming a distinctive head shape; the lack of pigmentation distinguishes this species from all other Tanganyikan species, with the exception of M. micropectus and M. cunningtoni, although the latter species has a distinctive dark spot on the caudal and pectoral fins; both M. apectoralis and its sister species, M. micropectus, lack teeth on the palatine; Mastacembelus apectoralis has 32-34 dorsal spines, and based on this count, is distinguished from five other species in the Lake Tanganyika flock, M. platysoma, M. zebratus, M. polli, M. cunningtoni and M. moorii, which have fewer spines, 21-29; however, all other Lake Tanganyika species have overlapping spine count ranges, 24-38, at least in part with that of M. apectoralis; vertebral counts of M. apectoralis, 77-80, are in the region of those of M. micropectus and M. albomaculatus, are greater than M. zebratus, but are lower than other Tanganyikan species (Ref. 86808).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like; Cross section: circular.
Found in a complex rocky habitat, consisting of multiple layers of rock, at a depth of 3-7 m (Ref. 86808).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturità | Riproduzione | Deposizione | Uova | Fecundity | Larve
Brown, K.J., R. Britz, R. Bills, L. Rüber and J.J. Day, 2011. Pectoral fin loss in the Mastacembelidae: a new species from Lake Tanganyika. J. Zool. 284(4):286-293. (Ref. 86808)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Strumenti
Special reports
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Fonte Biblio.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00269 (0.00128 - 0.00564), b=2.94 (2.76 - 3.12), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Fonte Biblio.
69278): 3.6 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilienza (Fonte Biblio.
120179): Alto, tempo minimo di raddoppiamento della popolazione meno di 15 mesi (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
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