Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps) > Labeoninae
Etymology: Labeo: Latin, labeo = one who has large lips (Ref. 45335); meroensis: Specific name is in reference to the ancient Nubian Capital Meroe, positioned at the River Nile between Shendi and Atbara, where the types have been collected (Ref. 75742).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 8.2 - 8.3. Tropical; 21°C - 23°C (Ref. 75742)
Africa: Nile River in Sudan (Ref. 75742).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 75742)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 14; Anal soft rays: 7 - 8; Vertebrae: 38. Diagnosed from all other Nilotic Labeo species by having only 5.5 scale rows between lateral line and mid-dorsal line (vs. 6.5 or more). Distinguished from all other African congeners except Labeo djourae and Labeo nunensis by the combination of the following characters: cylindriform body, transverse plicae on the inner surface of the lips, 5.5 scale rows between lateral line and mid-dorsal line, 39 to 41 scales in lateral line and 16 scales around the caudal peduncle. Differs from Labeo djourae from the Chad and Benue systems and Labeo nunensis from the Sanaga river in Cameroon by having a larger eye diameter (21.5-27.4% of head length vs. 14.5-20.8% in Labeo djourae and 14.0% in the type material of Labeo nunensis); from Labeo nunesis by the absence of anterior filament on dorsal fin (vs. presence); from Labeo djourae in having shorter snout (32.2-41.4 of HL vs. 46.7-55.9), smaller interorbital width (30.5-38.5 vs.35.0-50.0% of head length); and absence of emargination in the dorsal snout region (vs. prominence or presence) (Ref. 75742).
This species was found in flowing shallow water over sand, and submerged shore vegetation (Ref. 75742).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Moritz, T., 2007. Description of a new cyprinid species, Labeo meroensis n. sp. (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), from the River Nile. Zootaxa 1612:55-62. (Ref. 75742)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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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=0.00933 (0.00305 - 0.02858), b=3.01 (2.76 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
