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Characiformes (Characins) >
Alestidae (African tetras)
Etymology: Hydrocynus: Greek, hydr = water + Greek, kyon = dog (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Dr Peter Forsskål (1732–1763) was a Swedish explorer, orientalist, naturalist and a student of Linnaeus. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Cuvier.
Issue
Affinities: H. vittatus (Ref. 2880, 80290).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / Tiefenbereich / distribution range
Ökologie
; süßwasser pelagisch; potamodrom (Ref. 51243). Tropical (Ref. 5331)
Africa: Cross, Wouri and Sanaga basin in Lower Guinea ichthyofaunal province (Ref. 80290). Also in Chad, Niger, Ogun, Ouémé, Mono, Volta, Comoé, Bandama, Sassandra, Nipoué, St. Paul, Mano, Little Scarcies, Gambia and Senegal basins in West Africa (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279); Nile River, including Lake Albert (Ref. 4903, 5331); Lake Turkana and Omo River (Ref. 2880, 5331, 80290); and Congo River basin (Ref. 2880, 80290).
Length at first maturity / Size / Gewicht / Alter
Geschlechtsreife: Lm 20.0, range 21 - ? cm
Max length : 78.0 cm SL Männchen/unbestimmt; (Ref. 2880); max. veröff. Gewicht: 15.5 kg (Ref. 13337); max. veröff. Alter: 4 Jahre (Ref. 2757)
Diagnosis: 2 scale rows between lateral line and scaly process at pelvic-fin bases; eye <70% of interorbital space (Ref. 2880, 81279). Dorsal-fin uniformly greyish and its origin in front of pelvic fins; adipose fin greyish; caudal fin without black edge (Ref. 80290, 81279).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Forms shoals; an open water predator often found near the water surface; feeds on fishes, preferring long bodied fish as they are easier to swallow and also takes insects, grass and snails; cannibalistic; preyed upon by fish eagle Haliaeetus vocifer; breeding migrations have been reported up several tributaries of Lake Kariba during the rains (Ref. 13337).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Geschlechtsreife | Fortpflanzung | Ablaichen | Eier | Fecundity | Larven
Paugy, D. and S.A. Schaefer, 2007. Alestidae. p. 347-411. In M.L.J. Stiassny, G.G. Teugels and C.D. Hopkins (eds.) Poissons d'eaux douces et saumâtres de basse Guinée, ouest de l'Afrique centrale/The fresh and brackish water fishes of Lower Guinea, west-central Africa. Vol. 1. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 42. Istitut de recherche pour le développement, Paris, France, Muséum nationale d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France and Musée royale de l'Afrique centrale, Tervuren, Belgique. 800 p. (Ref. 80290)
IUCN Rote Liste Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Bedrohung für Menschen
Harmless
Nutzung durch Menschen
Fischereien: kommerziell; Sportfisch: ja
Tools
Zusatzinformationen
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Internet Quellen
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00631 (0.00441 - 0.00903), b=3.11 (3.01 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.75 se; based on food items.
Widerstandsfähigkeit (Ref.
120179): mittel, Verdopplung der Population dauert 1,4 - 4,4 Jahre. (K=0.17-0.45; tmax=4).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (39 of 100).
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Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 77.7 [34.3, 189.1] mg/100g; Iron = 1.64 [0.88, 3.93] mg/100g; Protein = 19 [17, 21] %; Omega3 = 0.309 [0.128, 0.777] g/100g; Selenium = 60.1 [24.5, 148.2] μg/100g; VitaminA = 40.5 [14.9, 108.0] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.2 [0.8, 1.7] mg/100g (wet weight);
