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Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Siluriformes (Catfish) > Malapteruridae (Electric catfishes)
Etymology: Malapterurus: Greek, mala = a lot of + Greek, pteron = fin + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335); monsembeensis: Named for Jean-Pierre Gosse, in honor of his years of work in the Congo and collector of many important specimens of electric catfishes (Ref. 44050). More on author: Roberts.

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical, preferred ?

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: Congo River basin except for the Zambian Congo (Ref. 78218).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 58.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 8954); 42.0 cm SL (female)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9 - 12; Vertebrae: 44 - 49. Diagnosis: large species (Ref. 34006, 78218). Tooth patches broad; obliquely angled pectoral fins positioned low on body (Ref. 44050). 17-49 (Ref. 34006) or 44-45 (Ref. 44050) vertebrae. 9-12 anal-fin rays; 19 caudal-fin rays (ii-7-8-ii); eye typically oval (along horizontal axis); caudal saddle and bar pattern poorly developed, even in juveniles; body with relatively small spots and flecks; pectoral and pelvic fin rays unpigmented (Ref. 44050). Broader mouth than M. microstoma, and fewer gill rakers and more vertebrae than either M. microstoma and M. tanganyikaensis; small dark marks rather uniformly distributed over the entire body and caudal fin, with no distinct dark or pale bars or bands, as M. microstoma and M. tanganyikaensis (Ref. 34006).

Female reaches up to 42.0 SL; carnivorous, feeding on fishes, crabs, and other aquatic creatures (Ref. 44050).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Roberts, T.R., 2000. A review of the African electric catfish family Malapteruridae, with descriptions of new species. Occas. Pap. Ichthyol. 1:1-15. (Ref. 34006)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Not Evaluated

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries:

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Internet sources

Malapterurus monsembeensis Roberts, 2000