Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anabantiformes (Gouramies, snakeheads) >
Channidae (Snakeheads)
Etymology: Parachanna: Greek, para = the side of + Greek, channe, -es = anchovy (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Steindachner.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 25°C - 28°C (Ref. 2060)
Africa: south Benin (lower Ouémé River) to Nigeria (lower Cross River)(Ref. 57290, 81648). Reports from Cameroon (Ref. 3575, 51193) unconfirmed and questionable (Ref. 57290, 81648). Report from Gabon dubious (Ref. 81648).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 32.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81648)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 45 - 48; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 32 - 35. Diagnosis: body elongate, tapering backwards; lateral-line scales medium-sized, numbering 73-83; head depressed anteriorly and covered with larger scales; lower jaw slightly longer than upper, with 3-4 well developed canines; dorsal and anal fins not touching caudal fin; dorsal fin with 45-48, anal with 32-35 rays; 8-11 chevron-shaped dark bars on sides (Ref. 57290, 81648).
Coloration: body light to dark grey, back and top of head darker, underside lighter; dark lateral band on head, broadening between hind margin of eye and hind margin of gill cover, followed by a large, rounded, black spot; small, rounded black spot at base of caudal fin; all fins covered with small dark spots forming more or less distinct oblique bands; ground colour of juveniles ochre, and a long, black lateral band extending from tip of snout to hind margin of caudal fin (Ref. 57290, 81648).
Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Maximum SL reported is 17.2 cm (Ref. 57290).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
The eggs of this species float to the with floating plants covered surface where they are guarded by the male.
Teugels, G.G., 2003. Channidae. p. 443-446 In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douce et saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, Tome 2. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 40. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgique, Museum National d'Histoire Naturalle, Paris, France and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France. 815 p. (Ref. 57290)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00741 (0.00407 - 0.01351), b=3.00 (2.84 - 3.16), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.6 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 (22 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 121 [59, 236] mg/100g; Iron = 1.02 [0.49, 1.92] mg/100g; Protein = 18.2 [16.5, 20.1] %; Omega3 = 0.271 [0.107, 0.695] g/100g; Selenium = 54.8 [19.9, 144.0] μg/100g; VitaminA = 68.4 [20.2, 219.4] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.52 [1.01, 2.32] mg/100g (wet weight);
