Airbreathing shellear

📖 Overview

Usually found in small headwater streams with fast water associated with rapids and a boulder stream floor, with or without aquatic vegetation . Shoals occur in pools of small, clear, silt-free, rocky streams; reported to breathe air and to climb over damp rocks and up the sides of waterfalls during migrations . Can tolerate living out of the water for a long time if conditions are damp . Scrapes diatoms, algae, and detritus from rock surfaces and also takes small aquatic insects such as mayfly nymphs and midge larvae; matures after a year; breeds in spring and summer, larger females bear up to 600 eggs . Moves on to flooded grasslands during the rainy season . Males and females have been observed swimming together, apparently joined side by side by means of the males' opercular disc .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 11. : elongated; Cross section: circular.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Airbreathing shellear is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

Male and female have been observed swimming side by side apparently joined by the opercular organ of the male; this is probably an adaptation to ensure the efficient external fertilization of ova in a flowing water environment . Breeding appears to be correlated with the start and ending of the rainy season; possibly exhibits multiple spawning over a prolonged breeding season .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous . Tropical; 9°C - 26°C ; 17°S - 25°S occurs in the Crocodile (Incomati system), Transvaal (Ref.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 52 records indexed .

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