Teleostei (teleosts) >
Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) >
Mormyridae (Elephantfishes)
Etymology: lufirae: The specific name, lufirae, is a Latin adjective referring to the Lufira River to which the new species seems endemic (Ref. 122874).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 5.3 - 8.3; depth range 0 - 10 m (Ref. 122874). Tropical; 24°C - 27°C (Ref. 122874)
Africa: Lufira River, Congo River basin, in Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 122784).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 13.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 122874)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27 - 32; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 21 - 25; Vertebrae: 38 - 39. Diagnosis: Cyphomyrus lufirae is distinguished from all its congeners, C. aelsbroecki, C. cubangoensis, C. discorhynchus, C. macrops, C. psittacus and C. wilverthi, by a larger caudal peduncle depth, 6.8-8.4% of standard length vs. smaller, 5.3%, 6.1-6.7%, 5.7-7.0%, 5.2%, 5.8% and 6.2% respectively, and a higher number of circumpeduncular scales, 14-16, rarely 12-13 vs. exclusively 12 in all congeners except for C. discorhynchus, which rarely also possesses 13 circumpeduncular scales (Ref. 122874). In addition, C. lufirae differs from C. macrops, C. psittacus and C. wilverthi by a lower number of dorsal fin rays, 27-32 vs. higher, 36-37, 33-41 and 38-40 respectively; and from C. aelsbroecki, C. cubangoensis and C. discorhynchus by a longer prepelvic distance, 41.0-43.8% of standard length vs. shorter, 39.7%, 38.9-39.1% and 37.0-41.0% respectively (Ref. 122874).
Found in river sections with moderate current, he depth of the water was variable, between 50 cm and 10 m (Ref. 122874). This species is highly appreciated by the local inhabitants of the Lufira River due to the high fat content of its meat; they prefer to eat it smoked (Ref. 122874).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Mulelenu, C.M., B. Katemo Manda, E. Decru, A. Chocha Manda and E. Vreven, 2020. The Cyphomyrus Myers 1960 (Osteoglossiformes: Mormyridae) of the Lufira basin (Upper Lualaba: DR Congo): a generic reassignment and description of a new species. J. Fish Biol. 96(5):1123-1141. (Ref. 122874)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00562 (0.00244 - 0.01296), b=3.05 (2.85 - 3.25), 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 (10 of 100).
