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Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Schilbeidae (Schilbid catfishes)
Etymology: Irvineia: It is the name of a seaweed; voltae: Referring to the type locality of this species, the Volta River (Ref. 43912).
Eponymy: Dr Frederick Robert Irvine (1898–1962) was a botanist and science teacher who made a collection of fishes near Accra, Gold Coast (Ghana). [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Trewavas.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 6°N - 5°N
Africa: endemic to the lower Volta in Ghana (Ref. 43912, 57127).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 19.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57127)
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6; Anal soft rays: 58 - 68. Diagnosis: posterior (=inner) side of pectoral-fin spines strongly denticulate; 58-68 branched anal-fin rays; 16-18 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; barbels very short, nasal barbel extending to hind margin of eye; adipose fin always present; swim bladder extending backwards through a caecal appendix to above end of anal-fin base (Ref. 43912, 57127). Palatine teeth present (Ref. 57127). Posterior nostrils closer to each other than are anterior ones; 7-9 branched pelvic fin rays (Ref. 43912).
Probably carnivorous, feeding at least partly on small crustaceans (Ref. 43912). Oviparous, eggs are unguarded (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
De Vos, L., 2003. Schilbeidae. p. 97-116 In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douce et saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, Tome 2. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 40. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgique, Museum National d'Histoire Naturalle, Paris, France and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France. 815 p. (Ref. 57127)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00631 (0.00205 - 0.01941), b=3.16 (2.91 - 3.41), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (13 of 100).