| Family: |
Alestidae (African tetras) |
| Max. size: |
86 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 8,250.0 g |
| Environment: |
pelagic; freshwater, potamodromous |
| Distribution: |
Africa: only in Sahelo-Sudanese river basins (Ref. 81279), including the Nile, Chad basin, Niger, Volta, Senegal and Gambia (Ref. 2880, 5331). |
| Diagnosis: |
Diagnosis: eye <60% of interorbital space; massive profile specially on anterior part (Ref. 2880, 81279). Three scale rows between lateral line and scaly process at pelvic-fin bases; rakers of first gill arch poorly developed; snout-dorsal fin length/snout-ventral fins length different from one; adipose fin grey or black (Ref. 81279). Inferior lobe of caudal and anterior end of anal fin red-orange (Ref. 2880).
Description: dorsal-fin origin at same level, or slightly ahead of, pelvic-fin insertions (Ref. 81279).
Coloration: body brilliant silvery, black lines on back much less distinct than in other Hydrocynus species; adipose fin black or grey (Ref. 81279). |
| Biology: |
Hydrocynus species are piscivorous, but may also eat Caridina and insects (Ref. 28714). Affinities: easily distinguished from two other species in West Africa from the number of scale-rows below lateral line, which is 3 instead of 2 (Ref. 81279). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 30 May 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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