Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Serranochromis: Latin, serra = saw + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Carl Peter Thunberg (note spelling with an n, not an m) (1743–1828) was a Swedish naturalist who travelled through southern Africa (1772–1774) and is regarded as the founder of South African botany. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Castelnau.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 11°S - 21°S
Africa: Cunene River; possibly coastal rivers near Mossamedes, Angola; Okavango River and swamps; upper Zambezi River; Kafue River, Luangwa River; Shashi-Limpopo River (introduced). Also in the Lufira (Ref. 2970, 97233), Lake Mweru (Ref. 2266) and Lake Bangweulu region (upper Congo River basin) (Ref. 42135, 97233).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 33.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7248); max. published weight: 1.2 kg (Ref. 5693)
Also caught with drawnets. The habitat preferences are strongly influenced by the presence or absence of the tigerfish Hydrocynus forskahlii: if the tigerfish is absent, S. thumbergi is found in open waters and sometimes in fast-flowing rocky habitats; in areas where the tigerfish occurs, S. thumbergi is relegated to lagoons, backwaters and marshy shallow areas. Feeds on small fish, insects and snails (Ref. 6465).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Constructs a sandscrape nest. Incubates eggs in the mouth.
Skelton, P.H. and G.G. Teugels, 1991. Serranochromis. p. 442-453. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse, G.G. Teugels and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 4. (Ref. 5693)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.61 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (23 of 100).
