Lake Tanganyika sprat

📖 Overview

A pelagic, lacustrine species, forming very large schools . The juveniles tend to stay closer to the shore than those of 5 cm standard length or more . They appear to spend daylight hours at a depth of 70-95 m, rising up to 8-15 m at night, especially on dark nights . These migrations reflect also the plankton migration . It feeds on plankton , like prawns, shrimps, also copepods, chironomids, diatoms and algae . It breeds at about 6 cm standard length, with ripe individuals present almost throughout the year, but major spawning in May-June and again in December-January, the adults moving inshore to breed; the eggs sink slowly . It is caught with seine nets, often using lights .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 16; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 16 - 17; Vertebrae: 44. Diagnosis: Body slender, its depth about 17-22% of standard length; 13-14 pre-pelvic and 8-9 post-pelvic scutes, with pre-pelvic scutes not strongly keeled, beginning behind base of last pectoral finray, but post-pelvic scutes with sharp spines; maxilla blade about 2.25 times as long as its shaft, but not continued forward to hind tip of pre-maxilla; posterior supra-maxilla diamond-shaped or more or less rhomboidal, approximately symmetrical; lower gillrakers long and slender, 36-42; a distinct silver stripe along flanks, broadest over tips of pelvic fins . It resembles Limnothrissa miodon of Lake Tanganyika, which is slightly deeper-bodied, has a larger eye, about equal to head length behind eye, and a maxilla blade continued forward to hind tip of pre-maxilla . : elongated; Cross section: oval.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Lake Tanganyika sprat is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; pelagic; depth range 8 - 95 m . Tropical; 1°S - 10°S

🌿 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) - 51 records indexed .

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