Found mainly in freshwater and estuaries, but also enter the sea (Ref. 4833). Also occur in canals, ditches and ponds (Ref. 12693). Found in clear to turbid streams with rock, gravel or sand bottoms (Ref. 2847). Encountered in medium to large-sized rivers of the lower Mekong (Ref. 12975). Feed on small insects, crustaceans and small fish. Grow to a much larger size in brackish water than in fresh water. Marketed fresh (Ref. 12693). Cannibalism is relatively common for this species (Ref. 48660).

Southern Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, South Africa, Seychelles, Madagascar and western Mascarenes east to Society Islands, north to Philippines, south to Western Australia, New South Wales (Australia) and New Caledonia.

Africa to Oceania: Red Sea and East Africa and most inland freshwater bodies over the Indian Ocean and western Pacific. Common in coastal and estuarine waters from austral Africa and Madagascar to India and south of China.

Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa (country), Tanzania

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 9; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 8 - 9

Maximum size: 500 mm SL

50.0 cm SL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 4967))

Head flattened, lower jaw projecting; body pale without longitudinal lines (Ref. 4967). Dorsal fins with small spots forming longitudinal stripes (Ref. 2798). Pelvic fins jointed but attached to the body only from their anterior part. The body is brownish yellow with 5 to 6 dark and rounded spots on its sides. Some specimens living on dark substrates can be very dark also. Some living on very light substrates show an ivory coloration. Dorsal fins are light with brownish spots. Pelvic fins are grey. Pectorals and caudal are grey and often hyaline (Ref. 48660).

Feeds on small insects, crustaceans and small fish. Grows to a much larger size in brackish waters than in fresh waters.

This taxon is one of a number of benthopelagic species in the Zambezi River system of southern Africa. Benthopelagic river fish are found near the bottom of the water column, feeding on benthos and zooplankton

Nutrient levels in the Zambezi River are relatively low, especially in the upper Zambezi; in that reach, above Victoria Falls, most of the catchment drains Kalahari sands, whose nutrient levels are inherently low due to their aeolian formation; moreover, agricultural fertilizer addition throughout the Zambezi watershed is low, due to the shortage of capital available to farmers of this region.

Nitrate levels (as nitrogen) in the upper Zambezi are typically in the range of .01 to .03 milligrams per liter. Correspondingly electrical conductivity of the upper Zambezi is on the order of 75 micro-S per centimeter, due to the paucity of ion content. From the Luangwa River downstream nitrate levels elevate to .10 to .18 milligrams per liter, and electrical conductivity rises to a range of two to four times the upper Zambezi levels. Not surprisingly, pH, calcium ion concentration, bicarbonate and electrical conductivity are all higher in portions of the catchment where limestone soils predominate compared to granite.

There are a total of 190 known fish species present in the Zambezi River, including eel and shark taxa. The largest native benthopelagic fish in the Zambezi are the 170 cm North African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), the 146 cm common carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio), the 150 cm Indo-Pacific tarpon (Megalops cyprinoides) and the introduced 120 cm rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

benthopelagic; amphidromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; brackish; marine

Depth range based on 22 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 11 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0.2 - 8.5
  Temperature range (°C): 26.857 - 28.954
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.099 - 0.462
  Salinity (PPS): 34.131 - 34.532
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.525 - 4.572
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.113 - 0.380
  Silicate (umol/l): 1.579 - 2.568

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0.2 - 8.5

Temperature range (°C): 26.857 - 28.954

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.099 - 0.462

Salinity (PPS): 34.131 - 34.532

Oxygen (ml/l): 4.525 - 4.572

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.113 - 0.380

Silicate (umol/l): 1.579 - 2.568
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).

Found mainly in freshwater and estuaries, but also enters the sea (Ref. 4833). Also occurs in canals, ditches and ponds (Ref. 12693). Found in clear to turbid streams with rock, gravel or sand bottoms (Ref. 2847). Encountered in medium to large-sized rivers of the lower Mekong (Ref. 12975). Feeds on small insects, crustaceans and small fish. Grows to a much larger size in brackish water than in fresh water. Cannibalism is relatively common for this species (Ref. 48660).

Tetrarhynchus Disease 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Proteocephalus Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Prosorhynchus Infestation 5. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Procerovum Infestation 1. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Posthodiplostomum Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Phyllodistomum Infestation 3. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Pallisentis Infestation 6. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Pallisentis Infestation 3. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Pallisentis Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Orientocreadium Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Opegaster Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Opegaster Infestation 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Opegaster Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Neochasmus Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Lernaea Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Haplorchis Infestation 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Gnathostoma Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Genarchopsis Infestation 3. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Genarchopsis Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Erilepturus Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Ergasilus Disease 3. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Echinorhynchus Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Echinochasmus Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Dactylogyrus Infestation 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Contracaecum Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Centrocestus Infestation 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Carneophallus Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Capillaria Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Camallanus Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Bothriocephalus Disease 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Azygia Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Anchor worm Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Allocreadium Infestation 8. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Allocreadium Infestation 3. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Allocreadium Infestation 1. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


No available public DNA sequences.

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 11
Specimens with Barcodes: 40
Species With Barcodes: 1

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 4
Species With Barcodes: 1

Least Concern (LC)

fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial; price category: very high; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family