Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels) >
Synbranchidae (Swamp-eels)
Etymology: Monopterus: Greek, monos = one, unique + Greek, pteron = fin (Ref. 45335); luticolus: The species name is derived from the Latin word for mud, lutus, and the verb colere, to dwell, referring to the habitat in which the new species was collected; a noun in apposition (Ref. 116049).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
Africa: in the proximity of Mount Cameroon at altitudes of 35-170 m above sea level, Cameroon (Ref. 116049).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.9 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 118583)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Diagnosis: Monopterus luticolus is assigned to the 'Amphipnous group' within the genus Monopterus based on the presence of a unique synapomorphy of the group: the spatial dissociation of ceratobranchial 1 from hypobranchial 1 and its close association with hypobranchial 2 and ceratobranchial 2 (Ref. 116049). It is distinguished from all other species of synbranchids, including the other African synbranchids Ophisternon afrum and Monopterus boueti, by having more vertebrae, 198-208 vs. 100-194 (Ref. 116049). It is further distinguished from all synbranchids except O. infernale, O. candidum, M. boueti, M. eapeni, M. roseni, and M. digressus by the lack of externally visible eyes; Monopterus luticolus is also readily distinguished further from the African synbranchid species O. afrum by having the posttemporal greatly reduced in size and removed spatially from the supracleithrum and cleithrum, as well as from the skull, vs. posttemporal large, articulating with supracleithrum and epiotic of skull; and by having five vs. six branchiostegal rays (Ref. 116049). Monopterus luticolus is most similar to the West African M. boueti, from which it differs by having fewer abdominal vertebrae, 95-101 vs. 108, and more caudal vertebrae, 98-110 vs. 79-86; it differs further from M. boueti by several osteological characters (Ref. 116049).
Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274); This species was found during attempts to collect caecilian amphibians; they were dug from moist to wet soil, usually inundated by the neighbouring water body; the sites were immediately adjacent to both lotic and lentic aquatic habitats (Ref. 116049).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Britz, R., T.M. Doherty-Bone, M.T. Kouete, D. Sykes and D.J. Gower, 2016. Monopterus luticolus, a new species of swamp eel from Cameroon (Teleostei: Synbranchidae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 27(4):309-323. (Ref. 116049)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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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=0.00085 (0.00039 - 0.00184), b=3.09 (2.90 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (11 of 100).
