Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Characiformes (Characins) > Distichodontidae (Distichodus)
Etymology: Distichodus: Greek, di = two + Greek, stix, stichos = line, row (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Peters.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical; 11°S - 21°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: Middle and Lower Zambezi, including Lake Kariba, and Pungwe and Buzi rivers in Mozambique (Ref. 52193). Reports from Congo River basin refer to other species of Distichodus (Ref. 96324, 122092).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 57.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52193); max. published weight: 7.6 kg (Ref. 52193)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27 - 29; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 14 - 15. Diagnosis: snout extended; mouth terminal; head about 4 times in fork length; juveniles with 6-7 dark bars (Ref. 52193).

Inhabits swift flowing water, rapids or quiet, deep, sandy or rocky pools (Ref. 13337). Found only in the mainstream of larger rivers and even in Lake Kariba prefers more riverine habitats; omnivorous, feeds on insects, snails, small fish, and aquatic plants; breeds in summer, moving upstream to suitable sites (Ref. 7248, 52193).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

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)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 01 May 2009

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00686 - 0.03044), b=3.08 (2.90 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.2 ±0.49 se; based on food items.

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (48 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Distichodus mossambicus Peters, 1852