Issue
See explanation of name change from Distichodus niloticus (Hasselquist, 1762) in Eschmeyer (CofF ver. Oct. 2012: Ref. 92135) according to Fricke (2008: Ref. 83466).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical
Africa: Lake Albert (Ref. 4903, 49805), Lakes Turkana and No, Murchison Nile (Ref. 4903), White and Blue Nile, and the Chad basin where it is uncommon (Ref. 7094).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 83.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7094); max. published weight: 6.2 kg (Ref. 7094)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 22 - 26; Anal soft rays: 13 - 15. Diagnosis: depth of body 2.5-3.5 times in standard length, length of head 3 (in young fishes) to 5 times (in adults) (Ref. 4903). Snout not elongated (Ref. 28714), rounded (Ref. 4903), not or slightly projecting beyond the mouth (Ref. 4903, 28714). Maxilla extending to below the nostrils; upper surface of the head, and the operculum ridged with low, radiating striations (Ref. 4903). Teeth all small and bicuspidate (Ref. 28714), in two series, outer with 24-36 teeth (Ref. 4903). Dorsal fin with 22-26 rays, the first 3-6 unbranched (Ref. 4903). Adipose fin covered with small scales (Ref. 4903, 28714), small, its basal length about 2-4 times its distance from the posterior margin of the dorsal fin (Ref. 28714). Anal fin with 13-15 rays, the first 3-4 unbranched; caudal fin forked, its rounded lobes almost entirely scaled; lateral line with 90-110 scales (Ref. 4903). 18-21 scales between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin (Ref. 4903, 28714). 15-18 scales between insertion of pelvic fin and lateral line (Ref. 4903). Large robust fish as adults (Ref. 28714).
Coloration: purplish-silver above, silver below; young fishes with several vertical dark bars on the flank (Ref. 4903).
In Lake Albert found in the shallow inshore waters, especially in the region of
deltas; also in rivers (Ref. 4903). Macro-herbivore, feeds on submerged water plants (Ref. 4903, 28714), Eichornia roots and periphyton (Ref. 28714), but also molluscs and small Crustacea (Ref. 4903). Oviparous (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous (Ref. 205). Distinct pairing occurs (Ref. 205). Males lingering near the nesting site deemed as the closest thing to parental care (Ref. 205).
Daget, J. and J.-P. Gosse, 1984. Distichodontidae. p. 184-211. 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. 7094)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
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=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.0 ±0.00 se; based on food items.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (53 of 100).
