Classification / Names
Common names from other countries
Main reference
Size / Weight / Age
Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3799); max. published weight: 7.0 kg (Ref. 3799)
Environment
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 1 - ? m (Ref. 248)
Climate / Range
Tropical, preferred ?; 32°N - 5°N
Distribution
Africa: lower and middle Nile; Chad system including the Logone and the Shari rivers; Niger and Benoue river systems; coastal rivers of Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire; Gambia and lower Senegal rivers; Volta system; relict populations occur in Mauritania and southern Algeria. Trade restricted in FRG.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions
Short description
Dorsal
spines
(total): 0;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 60-82;
Anal
soft rays: 42 - 61. Diagnosis: 16-50 gill rakers on first gill arch (much more reduced compared to Clarias gariepinus), subject to geographical variations (Ref. 57129). Head oval-shaped to rectangular in dorsal outline; snout broadly rounded; eyes rather lateral in position and, together with relatively broad head, make for a relatively large interorbital distance; number of gill rakers on first branchial arch subject to much variation, 16-40, rarely exceeding 40; dorsal fin base situated close to occipital process; dorsal fin always terminates before caudal fin base, distance between both small; anal fin originates closer to caudal fin base than to tip of snout, nearly reaching caudal fin but never confluent; pelvic fin base slightly closer to tip of snout than to caudal fin base, reaching base of first anal fin rays; pectoral fin extend from operculum to base of first dorsal fin rays; pectoral spine slightly curved and robust, serrated only on its outer side, number of serrations increases with increasing standard length; lateral line appears as a small, white line running from posterior end of head to middle of caudal fin base; openings of secondary sensory canals clearly marked, showing a regular pattern (Ref. 248).
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index
PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)
Trophic Level
3.4 ±0.51 se; Based on food items.
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming tm=2-4; Fec < 10,000)
Vulnerability
Moderate to high vulnerability (54 of 100)
Price category
