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Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) >
Mormyridae (Elephantfishes)
Etymology: Hippopotamyrus: Greek, ippos = horse + Greek,potamos = river + greek, myros = the male of morey eel (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Norman.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 10608). Tropical
Africa: Lake Victoria and affluent rivers, Lake Kyoga basin (Ref. 4903), Victoria Nile (Ref. 12526) and Middle Akagera system (Ref. 46152).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 7 - ? cm
Max length : 25.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4967)
In Lake Victoria in shallow, coastal waters particularly where bottom is sandy (Ref. 4903). In Lake Kyoga it frequents areas overgrown by water lilies (Ref. 49805). Feeds on chironomid larvae, and to lesser extent on Trichoptera, Gastropoda (Ref. 12526). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Males grow to larger size than females; breeds twice a year, during the rainy seasons; migrates up the river to spawn (Ref. 10608).
Gosse, J.-P., 1984. Mormyridae. p. 63-122. 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. 3203)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 125652)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
More information
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingNutrientsMass conversion
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5002 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01318 (0.00612 - 0.02839), b=2.85 (2.67 - 3.03), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.40 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec = 248).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (21 of 100).