West African ladyfish
📖 Overview
Elops lacerta lives in shallow coastal waters over sandy/muddy bottoms, occasionally entering brackish waters and the lower reaches of rivers; from inshore and some way up tidal rivers to edge of shelf . The reproduction takes place in the sea . It feeds primarily on small fishes, mainly clupeids, crustaceans and molluscs; large specimens also feed on insects .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Diagnosis: Elops lacerta is characterized by 17-19 gill-rakers on lower limb of first gill arch and small scales, those in lateral line numbering 72 to 83 and ornamented with a small, unbranched, tubule . : elongated; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for West African ladyfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; depth range 1 - 50 m . Tropical; 21°N - 29°S, 20°W - 15°E West Africa from Mauritania to Angola or Namibia (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
small fishes, mainly clupeids, crustaceans and molluscs; large specimens also feed on insects (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"West African ladyfish is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 17.2 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 197 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for West African ladyfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Atlantic Lady Fish · Atlantic ladyfish · Bony Fish · Guinean Lady Fish · Guinean ladyfish · Hareng · Ninebone · Ten pounder · Ten-pounder · Tenpounder · West African Lady Fish · West African Ladyfish |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Vestafrikansk Ladyfisk |
| 🇫🇷French | Banane · Guinée Copace · Guinée du Sénégal |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Elops Srebrzysty |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Banana · Fateixa · Peixe-banana · Rabenta-conta · Tarpão-anão-de-praia |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Африканская большеглазая сельдь · Африканский элопс |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Macabi · Malacho Senegalés |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elops congicus | Boulenger | 1898 | Synonym |
📚 Scientific References
13 publications cited
- Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (Editors) (2024). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. FishBase Consortium. Link ↗
- IUCN (2024). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Link ↗
- GBIF Secretariat (2024). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. DOI ↗
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (2024). FoodData Central. USDA National Nutrient Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Link ↗
- FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (2024). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Link ↗
- Kaschner, K., Kesner-Reyes, K., Garilao, C., Segschneider, J., Rius-Barile, J., Rees, T., Froese, R. (2024). AquaMaps: Predicted range maps for aquatic species. AquaMaps. Link ↗
- Nelson, J.S., Grande, T.C., Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World. 5th edition. John Wiley & Sons.
- Helfman, G.S., Collette, B.B., Facey, D.E., Bowen, B.W. (2009). The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evolution, and Ecology. 2nd edition. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Froese, R. (2006). Cube law, condition factor and weight-length relationships: history, meta-analysis and recommendations. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 22(4), 241-253. DOI ↗
- Halstead, B.W., Auerbach, P.S., Campbell, D. (1988). A Colour Atlas of Dangerous Marine Animals. Wolfe Medical Publications. Wolfe Medical.
- Balon, E.K. (1975). Reproductive Guilds of Fishes: A Proposal and Definition. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 32(6), 821-864.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 777 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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