Afronandus sheljuzhkoi (Meinken, 1954)
Fourspine leaffish

Family:  Polycentridae (Leaffishes)
Max. size:  4.2 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater,
Distribution:  Africa: Banco, Agnébi and Mé, small coastal basins in southern Côte d’Ivoire; also reported from the Boubo (Côte d’Ivoire) and from southwestern Ghana (Ref. 57397).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 15-16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal spines: 4-4; Anal soft rays: 6-7. Diagnosis: mouth large and protrusible; premaxilla reaching upwards to level of occipital region; preopercle denticulate; lateral line absent; 5 scale rows on cheeks; caudal fin rounded (Ref. 57397). Coloration: highly variable, depending, among other factors, on emotional state of fish; normally, ground colour dark brown; iris red; opercula with a large black blotch bordered posteriorly by a bright red band; under stress, colour turns rapidly into a marbled pattern with alternating light and dark brown cross bars; in young individuals, sides show a series of light cross bars (Ref. 57397).
Biology:  Occurs in running freshwater (Ref. 6801). Maximum TL recorded was 4.8cm (Ref. 6801).
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 30 November 2019 (B1ab(iii)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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