Teleostei (teleosts) >
Characiformes (Characins) >
Alestidae (African tetras)
Etymology: Micralestes: Greek, mikros = small + Greek,lestes = thief (Ref. 45335); schelly: Named after the collector of the type series, Robert C. Schelly (Ref. 59215).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical
Africa: only known from the type locality on the lower Congo River near Inga, in Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 59215).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 59215)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 19 - 20; Vertebrae: 38 - 40. It is characterized by the combination of the absence of a supraorbital bone, and the presence of a deep-lying midlateral stripe extending along the body onto the caudal peduncle, a band of chromatophores above the anal fin, and a small pair of inner row symphyseal teeth on the dentary (Ref. 59215). It has also an elevated vertebral count of 38 to 40, and 4 to 6 outer row premaxillary teeth are present with a majority of the specimens, with only 4 outer row teeth implanted in an alternating pattern with respect to the anterior inner row premaxillary teeth (Ref. 59215). Number of dorsal fin rays is ii,6-7 and anal fin rays is iii,16-17 (Ref. 59215). In life a broad, blue-green iridescent midlateral band covers the lateral flanks and tail from behind the opercle to the base of the caudal fin; this band overlies and obscures the deep lying midlateral stripe evident in preserved specimens; above and below the midlateral band the body is silvery white (Ref. 59215). Numerous melanophores are present on the head and opercle, and scattered over the body with a concentration around lateral scale margins (Ref. 59215). Dorsal fin and pectoral fins are dusky gray; adipose fin is pale grey with a dark distal margin; caudal fin is dusky gray and medially each fin fork is deep crimson red; anterior and distal margins of anal fin are white, while the remainder of the fin is jet black; pelvic fins are white (Ref. 59215).
Micralestes schelly was collected over a sand and gravel substrate in the main channel of the Congo River amongst large rock slabs of up to 4 m high thrusting upward at angles of 60-70 degrees, in pools up to 2 m in depth (Ref. 59215).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Stiassny, M.L.J. and V. Mamonekene, 2007. Micralestes (Characiformes, Alestidae) of the lower Congo River, with a description of a new species endemic to the lower Congo River rapids in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Zootaxa 1614:17-29. (Ref. 59215)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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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=0.01148 (0.00528 - 0.02495), b=3.00 (2.82 - 3.18), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±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).
