Fourspine leaffish

📖 Overview

Fourspine leaffish (Afronandus sheljuzhkoi), first described by Meinken, 1954 is a tiny fish in the family Polycentridae (order Perciformes). Adults typically reach 4.20 cm in maximum length. It inhabits freshwater systems including rivers, streams, and lakes. It occurs in Tropical waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator. On the IUCN Red List, it is classified as Near Threatened.

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 4; Anal soft rays: 6 - 7. Diagnosis: mouth large and protrusible; premaxilla reaching upwards to level of occipital region; preopercle denticulate; lateral line absent; 5 scale rows on cheeks; caudal fin rounded . Coloration: highly variable, depending, among other factors, on emotional state of fish; normally, ground colour dark brown; iris red; opercula with a large black blotch bordered posteriorly by a bright red band; under stress, colour turns rapidly into a marbled pattern with alternating light and dark brown cross bars; in young individuals, sides show a series of light cross bars .: elongated.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Fourspine leaffish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 13 records indexed .

👥 Community & Contribute