Its electric organ discharge (EOD) is steroid-sensitive (Ref. 10765; 10764). A mature male was reported to have an EOD waveform twice as long as that of two mature females (Ref. 10764).

Moderate-sized Paramormyrops, with a rounded head, short and thick caudal peduncle with 16 circumpeduncular scales. The length of caudal peduncle is less than 20.1% SL. The lateral line has 67–70 scales. Head blunt and U-shaped when viewed from above; head angle 27°, snout angle 53–63°. Depth of the body equal to the length of the head, 20–22% SL. Head length 22–23% SL. Snout rounded, 5.7–6.6% SL, mouth small, subterminal, five notched teeth in upper jaw, six in lower. Nostrils circular, mid-way between border of eye and tip of snout. Dorsal fin with 16–17 rays; anal with 22–23; pectoral fin 13–14% SL, not reaching pelvic fins. Caudal peduncle thick, 2.5–2.7 times as long as deep. The electric organ has electrocytes with penetrating stalks with anterior innervation (Type Pa) in which the stalk penetrations are large.

Color: a uniform dark brown overall, somewhat lighter on underside.

Africa: a wide distribution in Cameroon, Gabon and Republic of Congo, but some specimens may represent new taxa (Ref. 81635).

The type locality is in South Cameroon where two specimens were collected by George Latimer Bates, 1863-1940, an American naturalist and ornithologist who lived in Southern Cameroon during the first decade of the 20th Century and supplied many fish and reptile and amphibian specimens from this region to G.A. Boulenger at the British Museum. The type locality for Marcusenius batesii and several other species first collected by Bates is “Efulen.” Although several localities in Southern Cameroon today bear the name "Efoulan." The Efulen (now Efoulan) of Bates is located in the upper Kienké River basin (then called the Kribi River), near present-day Akom II at 2°46'59"N, 10°31'59"E (Fig. 12.89). Tentative identifications of museum specimens shows a wide distribution in Cameroon, including the Sanaga River basin, the Kienké River, parts of the Ogowe River basin of Gabon, and the Kouilou River basin of Congo. Some of the specimens mapped here may represent new taxa.

West-central Africa.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 17; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 22 - 23

15.2 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 81635))

to 152 mm SL.

A moderate-sized Paramormyrops (Ref. 81635). Head rounded, blunt; snout is U-shaped from above (Ref. 81635). The species has a uniform dark brown colour overall, somewhat lighter on the underside (Ref. 81635).

demersal; freshwater

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Freshwater

EOD unknown. The electric organ has electrocytes with penetrating stalks with anterior innervation (Type Pa) in which the stalk penetrations are large. From the anatomy one would expect this species to have a triphasic discharge with a significant initial head-negative phase, P0, to the waveform.

Population

Population Trend

Data deficient (DD)

Major Threats

Conservation Actions