African knifefish (Xenomystus nigri) fish species and information / pictures of African knifefish - Xenomystus nigri

African knifefish (Xenomystus nigri) fish species information

Credit for image

Scientific Name
Xenomystus nigri

Common Name
African knifefish

Biology
Dorsal spines : 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 108 - 130. Body height 5-5.4 x SL, head length 6.9-7.5 x SL, snout smaller than eye, eye diameter 3.8-4.5 x head length, maxilla extends to vertical of eye center or just under the eye's posterior border, ventral spines 25-32

Classification

Classified By

G?nther, 1868

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Bony tongues (Osteoglossiformes)

Family

Featherbacks or knifefishes (Notopteridae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: widely distributed in tropical Africa, in the Nile, Chad, Niger, Ogowe and Congo basins. Also distributed in coastal rivers in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, Benin and Cameroon, but not found in C?te d'Ivoire nor Ghana.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

22 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; ; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19 demersal

Trophic Level

3.27999997138977 s.e. 0.44 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

30.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0010 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 to moderate vulnerability (33 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)