Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Schilbeidae (Schilbid catfishes)
Etymology: uranoscopus: From the Greek "ouranos" (sky) and "skopos" (literally watchman, "skopeoo" means to look at), referring to the supero-lateral position of the eyes (Ref. 43912).
More on author: Rüppell.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Tropical
Africa: Niger (Lake Kainji and further downstream), Cross and Chad basins (Ref. 57127, 81643). Also in the Nile and Lake Turkana system (Ref. 43912, 81643).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 21.0, range 12 - ? cm
Max length : 36.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57127)
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Anal soft rays: 59 - 73; Vertebrae: 50 - 57. Diagnosis: 13-16 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; 57-75 branched anal-fin rays; eyes positioned dorso-laterally; adipose fin always absent (Ref. 43912, 57127, 81643). Often with a post-occipital hump, a character also sometimes found in Schilbe intermedius whose head profile is extremely variable (Ref. 57127, 81643). Posterior nostrils closer to each other than are anterior ones; nasal barbel at maximum reaching to midway between eye and opercle, but generally shorter; inner side of pectoral spine feebly serrated (Ref. 43912).
Adapted to riverine and lacustrine conditions; appears to live mainly in the open waters; predatory, carnivorous but not strictly piscivorous; young essentially entomophagous (Ref. 43912). Oviparous, eggs are unguarded (Ref. 205). Especially in the Chad basin of some economic value to the fishermen (Ref. 43912). Maximum reported total length 45 cm (Nile basin)(Ref. 43912).
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
Fisheries: minor commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
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=0.00589 (0.00269 - 0.01291), b=3.03 (2.84 - 3.22), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=1.30; tmax=3; assuming fec > 10,000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100).
