Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Siluriformes (Catfish) >
Malapteruridae (Electric catfishes)
Etymology: Malapterurus: Greek, mala = a lot of + Greek, pteron = fin + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335); tanganyikaensis: Named to honor the Belgian ichthyologist Max Poll (1908-1991), in recognition of his lifetime of work on African fishes and especially the ichthyofauna of Lake Tanganyika (Ref. 44050). More on author: Roberts.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical, preferred ?
Africa: widely distributed in Lake Tanganyika (Ref. 34006, 44050) and present in the Malagarasi River basin (Ref. 78218, 98577).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 49.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 44050)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 9 - 12;
Vertebrae: 38 - 45. Diagnosis: tooth patches broad; 9-12 anal-fin rays; 38-41 vertebrae; 19-20 caudal-fin rays (ii-7-8-ii-iii); stout, cylindrical head; broad, square snout; body finely spotted (Ref. 44050).
Limnetic electric catfish (Ref. 44050). Voracious piscivore (Ref. 36901, 44050, 78218) feeding on cichlids (Ref. 36901, 44050). Encountered in the littoral zone down to a depth of 50 m; especially common in bays or near the mouths of rivers (Ref. 36901).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
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)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries:
More information
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Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
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