Tanganikallabes Mortiauxi

📖 Overview

Found in littoral to benthic zones over rocky bottoms; this species may inhabit rocky bottoms over a wide range of depths . It appears to be an opportunistic, generalist predator feeding on eggs of fish species, platythelphusid crabs, atyid shrimps and insect larvae .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 72 - 83; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 58 - 65. Diagnosis: Tanganikallabes mortiauxi is distinguished from its congeners by the morphology of the vomerine toothpad, which, at its widest point anteroposteriorly, is thicker than the premaxillary toothpad, vs. a uniformly thin, broad crescent in other Tanganikallabes species; the presence of a complete lateral line, vs. incomplete lateral line; free lower orbital margin, vs. no free margin; well-defined, thick basal membranes on the barbels, vs. thin membranes; and a larger eye, 1.8-3.0% of standard length vs. 0.8-1.6% in Tanganikallabes alboperca or 1.0-1.9% in T. stewarti . The cranial osteology of T. mortiauxi further separates this species from all congeners: in T. mortiauxi, io-iv consists of a single element, vs. two separate elements in T. alboperca and T. stewarti; similarly, the suprapreopercle of T. mortiauxi is composed of a single element, whereas that of T. alboperca and T. stewarti is composed of two, or sometimes three, elements; furthermore, the extensions of the lateral ethmoid nearly overlie io-ii when viewed from above, but are well separated in T. alboperca and T. stewarti . Tanganikallabes mortiauxi can also be distinguished from T. alboperca by having longer pelvic fins, 7.4-9.3% of standard length vs. 6.0-7.7%, that reach beyond the origin of the anal fin when adpressed; longer pectoral fin spines, 5.6-8.8% of standard length vs. 3.6-5.3; a higher number of dorsal fin rays, 72-81 vs. 65-74; and the lack of a depigmented opercular margin . Tanganikallabes mortiauxi is further separated from T. stewarti by its proportionally longer prepelvic length, 39.7-44.4% of standard length vs. 35.7-39.2%; its proportionally longer preanal length, 47.1-51.7% of standard length vs. 42.4-44.8%; and shorter anal fin, anal fin base 47.6-54.2% of standard length vs. 54.1-58.9% . : elongated.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Tanganikallabes Mortiauxi is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Tanganikallabes Mortiauxi is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Tanganikallabes Mortiauxi is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 3°S - 9°S

🌿 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) - 22 records indexed .

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