Common names from other countries
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical; 11°S - 20°S
Africa: Cunene, Okavango, Upper Zambezi and Kafue systems. A similar, possibly identical, species (Rhadalestes rhodesiensis) occurs in the Zambian Congo system (Lakes Bangweulu and Mweru, and Luapula River).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 13337)
Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 2 - 3; Anal soft rays: 16 - 19. Can be easily confused with Micralestes acutidens but has a more slender body with no black tip to the dorsal fin. Does not possess a pair of conical teeth behind row of teeth in lower jaw as in M. acutidens.
Shoals in shallow, vegetated marginal and floodplain habitats. Appears to prefer a swampy environment to open water (Ref. 13337). Feeds on small aquatic insects and other invertebrates. A partial spawner, breeding during high-water periods (Ref. 7248). Known to migrate up rivers and on to floodplains during flood season (Ref. 13337).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Paugy, D., 1984. Characidae. p. 140-183. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. Vol. 1. (Ref. 5331)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
CITES (Ref. 128078)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5078 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01148 (0.00528 - 0.02495), b=3.00 (2.82 - 3.18), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.39 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).