Scientific Name
Phago loricatus

Common Name
African pike-characin

Biology
Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Body depth 6.5-8.7x SL, head length 3.7-4.5x SL. Head 2.9-3.8 x longer than wide. Eye 4-5.3x, snout 2.4-2.8x head length. Anterior cuspid of external bicuspid row well developed, internal conical row smaller than external row of teeth. Caudal peduncle 6.1-8.6 x longer than high. Thick scales vertically elongated. 3-5 vertical black stripes on dorsal formed by small black spots. 2-3 brown-black oblique stripes on caudal fin. Sides uniformly colored or marked with vertical spots on lateral line generally joint on posterior end.

Classification

Classified By

G?nther, 1865

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Characins (Characiformes)

Family

Distichodontidae (Distichodontidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: basins Lower Niger, B?nou?, Ou?m?, Ogun and Wouri.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

22 °C

Water Temperature To

27 °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; ; pH range: 6.0 - 7.2; dH range: ? - 15 demersal

Trophic Level

3.73 s.e. 0.59 Based on food items.

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

16.5 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6250 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (14 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)