Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Clupeiformes (Herrings) >
Clupeidae (Herrings, shads, sardines, menhadens) > Ehiravinae
Etymology: Gilchristella: Because of John Gilchrist, father of the South African ichthyology; Cape Town, 1925.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; amphidromous. Subtropical, preferred ?; 25°S - 36°S, 17°E - 34°E (Ref. 188)
Africa: Lake Piti, Mozambique along southern African coast to Saldanha Bay, possibly mouth of Orange River (but perhaps confused by presence of a second undescribed species). Reported occurrence in India (Ref. 32693) needs validation (Ref. 33664). Reports of the occurrence in Madagascan waters (Ref. 13333) are in error (Ref. 33664).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 3.0, range 2 - 3 cm
Max length : 10.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4967); max. reported age: 6 years (Ref. 7248)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 0;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 12-18;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 16 - 27. With 6 to 9 unkeeled pre-pelvic scutes, followed by an equally thin pelvic scute, all with slender ascending arms; no post-pelvic scutes. Snout pointed, lower jaw a little prominent, with a single row of fine teeth in each jaw; second supra-maxilla paddle-shaped. Gill rakers small but present on posterior face of third epibranchial (cf. absent in Ehirava fluviatilis).
Occurs primarily in estuaries and lagoons, but also found in lakes and rivers. Entire life cycle is completed in the estuary (Ref. 32693). Can tolerate salinities under 4 ppt and of up to 52.6 ppt (Ref. 32693). Breeds throughout the year with a peak in spring and early summer. Maturity may be attained within the first or second year and an age of up to 5 or 6 years is recorded. Feeds chiefly on zooplankton by filtering or selecting individual organisms from the water column (Ref. 7248). Utilized fresh or dried and salted (Ref. 12484).
A semelparous species that grows to maturity and spawns in one year (Ref. 34361).
Skelton, P.H., 1993. A complete guide to the freshwater fishes of southern Africa. Southern Book Publishers. 388 p. (Ref. 7248)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; bait: usually
More information
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 1.0000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01023 (0.00518 - 0.02023), b=3.10 (2.92 - 3.28), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.3 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm=0.5).
Prior r = 0.77, 2 SD range = 0.37 - 1.57, log(r) = -0.26, SD log(r) = 0.36, Based on: 1 tgen, 1 tmax, 1 Fec records
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (12 of 100) .
![Image of Gilchristella aestuaria (Gilchrist\](/images/thumbnails/gif/tn_Giaes_u1.gif "Image of Gilchristella aestuaria (Gilchrist\")
