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Teleostei (teleosts) > Characiformes (Characins) > Alestidae (African tetras)
Etymology: Alestes: Greek, alestes, -oy = miller (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: Congo River basin: from Pool Malebo (Ref. 42480) up to the upper Lualaba (Ref. 2970, 42019, 45616, 80290) and Luapula (Ref. 1878, 42135, 80290, 85675) in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Angola and Zambia. Lower Guinea: found in coastal River basins in Cameroon, Gabon and the Republic of Congo (Ref. 80290). Also reported from Lake Tanganyika, the Malagarazi River (Ref. 36901) and the Rusizi River (Ref. 98755).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 60.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2880)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 19 - 23. Diagnosis: very well developed adipose eyelid (Ref. 42019, 80290, 81279); 18-20 branched anal-fin rays (Ref. 2880, 42019, 80290, 81279). 16-20 branched rays in Tanganyika specimens (Ref. 36899, 45485). 17-22 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; dorsal-fin origin at about same level of pelvic-fin insertions (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). Sexual dimorphism affecting shape of anal fin (Ref. 80290, 81279).

Omnivore; remnants of insect larvae (Ref. 36901), weed, beetles and other insects (Ref. 42135) and fish (Ref. 36899) found in stomach. Juveniles predominantly insectivore, piscivore as adults (Ref. 85675).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Paugy, D., 1990. Characidae. p. 195-236. In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douces et saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Tome I. Coll. Faune Tropicale n° XXVIII. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren et O.R.S.T.O.M., Paris, 384 p. (Ref. 2880)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 126983)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 10 May 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Internet sources

Alestes macrophthalmus Günther, 1867