Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps) > Smiliogastrinae
Etymology: Enteromius: Greek, enteron = intestine + Greek, myo, mys = muscle (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Peters.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 7248). Tropical; 24°C - 26°C (Ref. 12468); 9°S - 30°S
Africa: Zambezi River system, Lake Ngami and Cubango rivers; Lake Malawi and the Ruo River; Lake Bangweulu and associated rivers; Luapula and upper Lualaba rivers; Orange, Limpopo, Comati and Vaal Rivers systems; Kunene and Cubango Rivers (Ref. 2801). East coast from Ruvuma, Tanzania to Umvoti, KwaZulu-Natal, also Orange, Cunene and Zambian Congo systems (Ref. 7248, 52193). Replaced in Okavango, upper Zambezi and Kafue by Enteromius poechii (Ref. 52193).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 7.5, range 8 - 7.5 cm
Max length : 15.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52193)
Found in a wide variety of habitats, especially where there is vegetation (Ref. 52193), in shallow water near river outlets or close to swampy areas (Ref. 5595). It feeds on insects and other small organisms (Ref. 52193). Used as bait for the tigerfish (Ref. 7248). Breeds in summer, shoals of ripe adults moving upstream in spate after rain; females produce as many as 8,000 eggs (Ref. 7248, 52193).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Lévêque, C. and J. Daget, 1984. Cyprinidae. p. 217-342. 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. 2801)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial; bait: usually
Tools
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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=0.01349 (0.00754 - 0.02415), b=3.02 (2.87 - 3.17), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.39 se; based on food items.
Generation time: 0.8 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=1.40).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
