Scientific Name
Hydrocynus forskahlii

Common Name
Elongate tigerfish

Biology
Forms shoals. An open water predator often found near the water surface (Ref. 13337). Feeds on fishes, preferring long bodied fish as they are easier to swallow and also takes insects, grass and snails (Ref. 13337). Cannibalistic. Preyed upon by fish eagle Haliaeetus vocifer (Ref. 13337). Breeding migrations have been reported up several tributaries of Lake Kariba during the rains (Ref. 13337). Affinities: H. vittatus.

Classification

Classified By

Cuvier, 1819

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Characins (Characiformes)

Family

African tetras (Alestidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: Nile, Lake Albert [=Lake Mobutu Sese Seko], Lakes Turkana and Gandjule (Margherita), Senegal, Niger, Volta, C?te d'Ivoire, Guinea, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Liberia, Benue, Omo, Gambia, Chad, Sierra Leone, Benin.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

pelagic

Environment

Freshwater; pelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243)

Trophic Level

3.98 s.e. 0.48 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

78.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5156 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (39 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.17-0.45; tmax=4)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)