African knifefish
📖 Overview
Obligate air-breathing ; Prefers quiet waters with vegetation. Females lay 150-200 eggs of 2 mm diameter . Can produce barking sounds. Comes to the surface from time to time to swallow air. Feeds at dusk and during the night on worms, crustaceans, insects and snails .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 108 - 130. Body height 5-5.4 x SL, head length 6.9-7.5 x SL, snout smaller than eye, eye diameter 3.8-4.5 x head length, maxilla extends to vertical of eye center or just under the eye's posterior border, ventral spines 25-32: fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for African knifefish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for African knifefish is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Reproduction data for African knifefish is currently being compiled.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; demersal; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19. Tropical; 22°C - 28°C distributed in tropical Africa, in the Nile, Chad, Niger, Ogowe and Congo basins (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notopterus nigri | Günther | 1868 | Synonym |
| Notopterus nili | Steindachner | 1881 | Synonym |
| Xenomystes nigri | Günther | 1868 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 270 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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