Teleostei (teleosts) >
Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) >
Mormyridae (Elephantfishes)
Etymology: Marcusenius: Becasue of J. Marcusen, author of "Zur Phauna des Schwarzen Meeres", 1867; ichthyologist.
Eponymy: Dr Johann Andreas Marcusen (1817–1894) was a Latvian of German descent who was a physician, ichthyologist and zoologist. [...] This is a toponym referring to Lake Victoria, where these species occur. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 10608). Tropical
Africa: known from Lake Kwania (Ref. 42514), the Victoria Nile, Lake Kyoga and Lake Victoria basin (Ref. 4903) including affluent rivers (Ref. 10608, 12526). Also present in the Middle Akagera system (Ref. 46152).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 10 - ? cm
Max length : 26.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52331)
In Lake Kyoga in or near water lily swamps (Ref. 49805). In Lake Victoria in shallow inshore waters over both sandy and rocky bottoms, and seasonally over muddy bottoms adjacent to extensive papyrus swamps (Ref. 9606). Predominantly insectivorous, feeding mainly on chironomid larvae (Ref. 12526), but also feeds on small organisms like Ostracoda, Hydracarina (Ref. 9606, 12526), Conchostraca (Ref. 12526) and Diaptomus (Ref. 9606). Crustaceans, gastropods, fish eggs and detritus are also taken (Ref. 9606). Males grow to larger size than females; breeds twice a year during rainy seasons; migrates up the river to spawn (Ref. 10608). Oviparous (Ref. 205).
Gosse, J.-P., 1984. Mormyridae. p. 63-122. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. Vol. 1. (Ref. 3203)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01288 (0.00577 - 0.02877), b=2.88 (2.71 - 3.05), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.36 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec = 846).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (16 of 100).
