Scientific Name
Hepsetus odoe

Common Name
Kafue pike

Biology
Adults occur in most coastal rivers, lakes and swamps. Prefer quiet, deep water, like channels and lagoons of large floodplains. Juveniles and fry inhabit well-vegetated marginal habitats. Adults feed on fish, juveniles feed on small invertebrates and fish. Multiple spawner; breeds over the summer months. Relatively short-lived, only 4-5 years. Also caught with drawnets.

Classification

Classified By

Bloch, 1794

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Characins (Characiformes)

Family

African pikes (Hepsetidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: widespread from Senegal to Angola including Niger, Volta, Chad, Ogowe, Democratic Republic of the Congo and upper Zambezi Rivers; as well as in the Cunene, Okavango, and Kafue systems. Widespread in central and west Africa. Absent in the Nile River; Zambian Congo and the Great Lakes.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

26 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; ; pH range: 6.0 - 7.5; dH range: ? - 18 demersal; potamodromous

Trophic Level

4.5 s.e. 0.80 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

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

70.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (29 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.27; tmax=5; Fec

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)