Scientific Name
Chiloglanis emarginatus

Common Name
Phongolo suckermouth

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Mouth is used as a sucking disc to hold its position in fast flowing waters. Gut length is less than standard length and the mandibular teeth are used to scrape invertebrates from stones.

Classification

Classified By

Jubb & Le Roux, 1969

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Catfish (Siluriformes)

Family

Squeakers or upside-down catfishes (Mochokidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: two areas, tributaries of the Pongolo and Komato-Incomati rivers in South Africa and Swaziland, and the Pungwe and middle and lower Zambezi in Zimbabwe. Threatened by water extraction, river regulation and sedimentation.

Range

15°S - 27°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range 0 - ? m

Trophic Level

3.2 s.e. 0.40 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

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

6.5 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (10 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec = 320)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)