| Citharinidae (Lutefishes) |
| 84 cm SL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 2,500.0 g |
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demersal; freshwater |
| Africa: known from Senegal, Casamance, Niger, Volta, Chad basin and certain coastal rivers in Guinéa-Bissau, Togo and Benin (Ref. 2938, 7095, 81281). Also in the Nile and Lake Mobutu Sese Seko (Lake Albert) (Ref. 2938, 7095, 28714). |
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Dorsal soft rays (total): 20-23; Anal soft rays: 23-26. Diagnosis: 59-77 lateral line scales (Ref. 28714, 81281). Body depth 1.6-1.9 times and head length 3.3-4.3 times in SL; caudal peduncle length 0.6-0.8 times its depth; short snout, 0.9-1.5 times eye diameter; eye diameter 3.9-6 times in head length; adipose-fin base 1.4-2 times longer than distance separating it from rayed dorsal fin; pointed pectoral fins, shorter than head (0.6-0.85 times head length) and as long as pelvic fins; cycloid scales; scale formula 17.5-18.5/59-71/18.5-19.5; 13.5-15.5 scales between lateral line and pelvic-fin base; 20-23 dorsal fin rays; 23-26 anal fin rays (Ref. 2938, 81281).
Description: eye protected by small adipose eyelid; pelvic fins inserted in advance of dorsal-fin origin (Ref. 2938, 81281).
Coloration: silvery-white body; adipose-fin base greyish-black; pelvic and anal fins orange-red except at their bases; lower lobe of caudal also orange-red (Ref. 2938, 4903, 81281). All other fins grey (Ref. 4903). |
| Occurs in open water and vegetation beds of lakes and flowing water; ingests mud containing benthic and sedimented algae; spawns in the perennial wetland at high water (in the Sudd in South Sudan) (Ref. 28714). |
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Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 April 2019 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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Widely distributed in Nigeria (Ref. 31256). Known from the Ogun River, Cross River (Ref. 2938, 13331, 81281) and Ehoma Floodplain, Afikpo (Ref. 52861). Also reported from Bénoué, Lower Niger and Chad basin (Ref. 2938, 13331, 81281). |
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