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Protopterus aethiopicus Heckel, 1851

Marbled lungfish
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Protopterus aethiopicus
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Rwanda country information

Common names: Mamba, Marbled lungfish
Occurrence: introduced
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: live export: yes;
Comments: Introduced in Lake Mohasi between 1988 and 1990 from Lake Edward (Ref. 46152, 94151). Since then it dispersed from Lake Mohasi to other parts of the upper Akagera system (Ref. 46152), including Lake Mugesera (Ref. 94151).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/rw.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: De Vos, L., J. Snoeks and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde, 2001
National Database:

Common names from other countries

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

> Ceratodontiformes (Australian lungfishes) > Protopteridae (African lungfishes)
Etymology: Protopterus: Greek, pro = first, in front of + Greek, pteron = wing, fin (Ref. 45335);  aethiopicus: Named after Is. Mesmaekers, commander in Boma (Ref. 40587).
  More on author: Heckel.

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

; agua dulce demersal; rango de profundidad 0 - 60 m (Ref. 34291), usually 0 - 20 m (Ref. 34291).   Tropical; 25°C - 30°C (Ref. 2059)

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

Africa: subspecies Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus distributed in Nile basin and lakes Albert, Edward, Victoria, Nabugabo, Tanganyika, Kyoga and No (Ref. 3498), also in Lake Turkana (Ref. 52331). Subspecies P. a. congicus distributed in Congo basin, from Upper Lualaba to Kinshasa (Ref. 3498). Subspecies P. a. mesmaekersi distributed in Lower Congo River basin (Ref. 3498).

Length at first maturity / Tamaño / Peso / Age

Maturity: Lm 73.0, range 70 - 76 cm
Max length : 200 cm TL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 34290); common length : 130 cm TL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 34290); peso máximo publicado: 17.0 kg (Ref. 13302)

Short description Claves de identificación | Morfología | Morfometría

Smooth, slimy, cylindrical body with deeply embedded scales (Ref. 28714). Tail pointed and confluent with the long dorsal and anal fins; dorsal fin originating at an equal distance from eye and vent, or nearer to the latter; pectoral and pelvic fins slender and filamentous (Ref. 34290). Perpendicular from dorsal fin origin closer to posterior than to anterior limbs (Bailey 1994). 55-70 scales in a longitudinal series from immediately behind head to above vent; 40-50 scales around body (Ref. 4903, 45485). 37-40 pairs of ribs (Ref. 4903). Dentition consisting of upper and lower tooth plates in the form of sharp cutting ridges (Ref. 34290). Young fish with true external gills, but usually absent in specimens above 15 cm TL (Ref. 34290). Dark slate-grey above, yellowish-grey or pinkish below, often with numerous dark spots or flecks on fins and body; some specimens bright yellow ventrally; sensory canals on head and body outlined in black (Ref. 34290).

Biología     Glosario (por ej. epibenthic)

Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Adults inhabit river and lake fringes, swamps and floodplains (Ref. 28714). In the Lake Victoria basin found in open lakes and marginal swamps, while in the Lake Tanganyika basin only found near rivers and deltas (Ref. 4967). Juveniles occur in matted roots of papyrus (Ref. 34291). Adults able to survive in streams and swamps that are completely dry for long periods of the year, withstanding desiccation on floodplains by aestivating in cocoons until the next rains, breathing air by a small passage leading to the outside (Ref. 45484). Obligate air-breather (Ref. 126274) under laboratory conditions (Ref. 34291), but under certain conditions lungfish in the wild may not be obligate air-breathers and the use of aerial respiration may be a function of ecological as well as physiological factors (Ref. 58531). Mature individuals breed during the flood season (Ref. 28714). One or several females spawn in burrows which are dug and cleaned by the male, who later guards the eggs and the young. Principal diet of adults and sub-adults consists of mollusks, but small fishes and insects are also eaten in small quantities; young individuals less than 35 cm TL feed almost exclusively on insects (Ref. 34291).

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

Male parent prepares a pit or hole nest, in which more than one female may spawn; once eggs are laid, female leaves the nest and does not return; male guards eggs and young for nearly eight weeks; male not only attacks any would-be intruders but also constantly aerates the water in the nest (Ref. 4903). A multiple spawner (Ref. 41824).

Main reference Upload your references | Referencias | Coordinador | Colaboradores

Gosse, J.-P., 1984. Protopteridae. p. 8-17. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). Volume I. ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. 410 p. (Ref. 3498)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 02 March 2018

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Pesquerías: escaso valor comercial
FAO(Publication : search) | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.6602   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00155 - 0.00977), b=3.10 (2.88 - 3.32), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Nivel trófico (Ref. 69278):  4.4   ±0.2 se; based on diet studies.
Resiliencia (Ref. 120179):  Bajo, población duplicada en un tiempo mínimo de 4.5-14 años (Fec=7,800; assumed tm<10; assumed tmax>30).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Unknown.