| Family: |
Amphiliidae (Loach catfishes), subfamily: Amphiliinae |
| Max. size: |
12.5 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater |
| Distribution: |
Africa: Escarpment streams from lower Zambezi River in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe to Umkomaas system in KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg, South Africa (Ref. 52193); also in Ruo River of Zambezi system in Malawi (Ref. 3818, 52193). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-7; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 8-9. Description: Body narrow and slender, caudal peduncle longer than deep (Ref. 52193). Head depressed, short, 4.75-5 times in standard length, 1.1-1.3 times distance between head and dorsal fin; narrow, head width less than head length; eyes small, dorsal; mouth subterminal, 3 pairs of barbels, maxillaries reach pectoral base (Ref. 52193). Dorsal fin with 1 unbranched and 6 branched rays; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 5-6 branched rays; adipose fin short with a notch behind in KwaZulu-Natal populations, or long, low and confluent behind in Mpumalanga and Zimbabwe populations; caudal fin forked (Ref. 52193). Colouration: Colour variable, usually spotted or mottled brown, sometimes dark brown, nearly black (Ref. 52193). |
| Biology: |
Lives among cobbles and rocks in swiftly flowing water (Ref. 52193). Active at night, feeding on benthic stream invertebrates such as mayfly and midge larvae (Ref. 52193). Breeds in summer (Ref. 52193). Iteroparous, with asynchronous ovarian development (Ref. 51405). Preyed upon by trout and is now scarce in certain streams (Ref. 7248, 52193). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 13 March 2018 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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