Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Siluriformes (Catfish) >
Malapteruridae (Electric catfishes)
Etymology: Malapterurus: Greek, mala = a lot of + Greek, pteron = fin + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335); tanoensis: Named for Andrew Murray (1812-1878), describing authority of M. beninensis and author of a lengthy discourse on electric fishes in general and electric catfish in particular (Ref. 44050). More on author: Roberts.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical, preferred ?
Africa: only found in the rivers Ofin (Prah drainage) and Tano in Ghana (Ref. 34006, 44050, 57130, 78218).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 26.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 34006); 20.4 cm SL (female)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
spines
(total): 0;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 0;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 9 - 11;
Vertebrae: 37 - 43. Diagnosis: tooth patches broad; pectoral fin placed ventrally; 9-11 anal-fin rays; 19 caudal-fin rays (ii-7-8-ii; rarely i-7-8-ii, total 18); 3-4 gill-rakers on upper part of first arch; dorsum and flank marked by large blotches (up to 5-6 times an eye diameter); caudal saddle and bar pattern well-developed; 20-22 caudal vertebrae (Ref. 44050). 41-43 (Ref. 34006) or 37-39 (Ref. 44050) total vertebrae. Differs from M. minjiriya in having fewer vertebrae and a much narrower head and mouth, and smaller oral tooth bands; differs from M. cavalliensis in having more vertebrae and much smaller tooth bands (Ref. 34006).
Female reaches up to 20.4 SL; nothing reported on the biology or natural history of this species (Ref. 44050).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Roberts, T.R., 2000. A review of the African electric catfish family Malapteruridae, with descriptions of new species. Occas. Pap. Ichthyol. 1:1-15. (Ref. 34006)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries:
More information
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ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm Total Length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.5 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
69278): .
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (22 of 100) .