| Family: |
Malapteruridae (Electric catfishes) |
| Max. size: |
12.5 cm SL (female) |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater |
| Distribution: |
Africa: central portion of the Congo basin (Ref. 44050), including Tshuapa River system (Ref. 44050), Luilaka (Ref. 93897), and Lukenie River system (Ref. 44050, 127185). |
| Diagnosis: |
Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8-10; Vertebrae: 38-40. Diagnosis: pectoral fin with sharply defined dark bar; caudal saddle and bar pattern well developed; lateral line extending to at least the level of the pelvic fin base (usually further, most commonly 45-50% SL); normally a single sensory pore between inner mental barbels (Ref. 44050).
Description: 16-19 abdominal vertebrae; 20-23 caudal vertebrae; 18 caudal-fin rays (arrangement ii-7-7-ii) (Ref. 44050).
Coloration: body and head bicolored; dorsum and flank brown, venter tan; mental barbels and underside of head darkened; dorsum and flank marked with scattered spots, some as large as several eye diameters; pectoral-fin rays dark brown from base of fin to about half its length; pelvic fin clear; posterior half of anal fin darkly pigmented, with clear distal margin, the remainder off-white; caudal fin darkly pigmented, except for pale distal margin and pale basal crescent; adipose fin dark along its base (matching the saddle), its distal margin white; caudal saddle and bar pattern well developed; caudal bar wedge-shaped, spanning caudal fin base and caudal peduncle terminus, with acute anterior margin projecting into pale interspace; pale interspace bright in juveniles and young specimens, gradually darkening into the flank ground color with age; caudal saddle dark and wide, extending nearly to the anal fin base in young specimens; saddle fades with age, hardly visible on large adults, although caudal bar and caudal fin pigmentation remain striking even in large adults (Ref. 44050). |
| Biology: |
|
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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