Enteromius Cercops

📖 Overview

This species may be anadromous but with permanent populations in the upper reaches of larger rivers . Feeds on insects, but algae and debris are also taken .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Diagnosis: Enteromius alberti belongs to the group of species of Enteromius with a flexible last unbranched dorsal fin ray that lacks serrations along its posterior edge . It can easily be distinguished from the other species of this group from the East Coast and Nilo-Sudan ichthyofaunal regions by the following combination of characteristics: a complete lateral line vs. an incomplete lateral line in E. atkinsoni, E. pumilus, E. serengetiensis, E. tongaensis and E. toppini; two pairs of barbels vs. one pair in E. pseudotoppini, and no barbels in E. anema and E. profundus; one to three dark spots on the flanks, which sometimes fuse into a mid-lateral line in preserved specimens, starting posterior to the operculum vs. a dark line running from the tip of the snout to the caudal fin base in E. bifrenatus and E. yongei, and a thin dark line from the beginning of the operculum to the caudal fin base in E. viviparus; 12 scales around the caudal peduncle, with one aberrant specimen with 16, vs. 8 in E. leonensis, 9-10 in E. venustus, and 10 in E. magdalenae and E. yeiensis; 4.5 scales between the dorsal fin base and the lateral line vs. 3.5 in E. radiatus, 5.5 in E. unitaeniatus, and 6 in E. usambarae; a dorsal fin length which is larger than the head length vs. a dorsal fin length equal to the headclength in E. innocens; a body depth which is larger than the head length vs. a body depth which is equal to the head length in E. nigeriensis and E. trispilopleura; a pectoral fin length which is 5/6 of the head length vs. 3/4 in E. lineomaculatus, and 2/3 to 3/4 in E. neglectus; a maximum caudal peduncle depth which is 3/5 of the head length vs. 2/5 in E. quadripunctatus . Enteromius alberti differs from E. perince by a combination of a smaller body depth, 21.7-31.2% of standard length vs. 33.8-37.5%; a smaller minimum caudal peduncle depth, 10.0-13.6% of standard length vs. 15.0-16.4%; and a smaller maximum caudal peduncle depth, 11.8-15.5% of standard length vs. 17.7-19.4%; it differs from E. stigmatopygus by a combination of a higher number of lateral line scales, 27-34 vs. 20.25; a smaller predorsal distance, 45.7-51.3% of standard length vs. 51.9-55.8%; and a smaller pre-occipital distance, 16.6-21.8% of standard length vs. 22.1-27.3%; it differs from E. mimus by a higher number of lateral line scales, 27-34 vs. 24-27; a smaller preanal distance, 65.1-73.0% of standard length vs. 68.4-74.8%; a larger post-anal distance, 16.3-24.2% of standard length vs. 16.3-19.3%; a smaller body depth, 21.7-31.2% of standard length vs. 26.5-34.3%; a smaller head depth, 15.1-19.0% of standard length vs. 17.8-21.8%; and a smaller pelvic fin length, 15.0-20.9% of standard length vs. 18.2-22.4% . Specimens of E. alberti differ from the population of E. cf. mimus from the Lake Edward system by a smaller head depth; in general, a specimen with a head depth smaller than 19% of the standard length can be assigned to E. alberti, specimens with a head depth larger than 19% of the standard length can be assigned to E. cf. mimus; other characters are the higher number of lateral line scales, 27-34 vs. 21-31, the smaller interorbital width, 5.8-8.3% of standard length vs. 6.9-9.9, the smaller pre-pelvic distance, 44.8-53.3% of standard length vs. 48.4-55.4%, the smaller body depth, 21.7-31.2% of standard length vs. 23.5-35.8%, the smaller maximum caudal peduncle depth, 11.8-15.5% of standard length vs. 8.7-19.0%, the smaller minimum caudal peduncle depth, 10.0-13.6% of standard length vs. 7.1-15.9%, and the smaller head width, 10.4-14.2% of standard length vs. 11.6-14.5% .

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Enteromius Cercops is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Enteromius Cercops is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Enteromius Cercops is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

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