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Papyrocranus afer (Günther, 1868)

Reticulate knifefish
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Papyrocranus afer
Picture by Kaladjian, M.


Ghana country information

Common names: [No common name]
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Known from the Tano and Pra rivers. Also Ref. 13331.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Roberts, T.R., 1992
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Nombres comunes | Sinónimos | Catalog of Fishes(Género, Especie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

> Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) > Notopteridae (Featherbacks or knifefishes) > Xenomystinae
Etymology: Papyrocranus: Greek, papyros = paper rush + Greek, kranion = skull (Ref. 45335).
  More on author: Günther.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecología

; agua dulce demersal; pH range: 6.5 - ? ; dH range: 10 - ?.   Tropical; 24°C - 30°C (Ref. 2059)

Distribución Países | Áreas FAO | Ecosistemas | Ocurrencias, apariciones | Point map | Introducciones | Faunafri

Africa: Niger basin (upper Niger, Benue and Niger Delta), most coastal river basins from Senegal and Gambia eastward to include the Tano and Prah basins in Ghana, and the Cross and Sanaga basins east of the Niger delta (Ref. 7431). Absent from the Volta basin, Chad, Ogooué, Kwilu-Niari or Chiloango basins (Ref. 7431).

Tamaño / Peso / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 80.0 cm TL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 7431); peso máximo publicado: 1.3 kg (Ref. 3516)

Short description Claves de identificación | Morfología | Morfometría

Espinas dorsales (total) : 0; Radios blandos dorsales (total) : 2; Espinas anales: 0; Radios blandos anales: 113 - 141. With 35-45 ventral spines; head 5.0-5.1 times SL; eye diameter 4.6-5.3 times head length; length of nasal tentacle twice the eye diameter. Caudal vertebrae 63-69 (Ref. 7431).

Biología     Glosario (por ej. epibenthic)

Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Prefers calm waters with dense vegetation.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproducción | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larva

Main reference Upload your references | Referencias | Coordinador | Colaboradores

Roberts, T.R., 1992. Systematic revision of the old world freshwater fish family Notopteridae. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 2(4):361-383. (Ref. 7431)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 25 October 2019

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses


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