| Alestidae (African tetras) |
| 16.55 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
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pelagic; freshwater |
| Africa: Sanaga River in Cameroon to the Chiloango River in Angola (Ref. 28013, 80290). Also widely distributed in the Congo River basin (Ref. 11970, 28013, 42019, 80290). |
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Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 14-16. Diagnosis: fronto-parietal fontanel absent in adults, sometimes pore-like in juveniles; snout short, more than 3x head lenght; dorsal fin origin at same level as, or just behind, pelvic fin insertion; sexual dimorphism affecting anal fin shape; head length/snout length 3.1-3.7; 24-30 lateral line scales; 4.5 scales between lateral line and dorsal fin; 9.5-11 predorsal scales; 11-13 anal fin branched rays; 16-21 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; 8 teeth in outer premaxillary row; adults medium-sized; humeral spot always present; broad black band on flanks; most apparent part of this band not reaching or extending beyond vertical through posterior base of dorsal fin (Ref. 80290).
Description: fronto-parietal fontanel present in very small individuals, disappearing with growth; gill rakers rather thin and short; 8 outer premaxillary teeth aligned in a single row; anal fin with 3 branched and 11-13 unbranched rays (Ref. 80290). Adult males with marked sexual dimorphism of anal fin, more rounded than in females where fin is more concave distally (Ref. 28013).
Coloration: prominent humeral spot on third post-opercular scale; distinct longitudinal band from middle of rayed dorsal fin to adipose fin (situated dorsal to median rays of caudal fin); band is wider anteriorly than posteriorly, anteriorly it is about 1 scale wide; in preserved material fins generally greyish; in life Ref. 41597 writes: “fins sometimes yellow, sometimes orange; adipose fin sometimes bright red” (Ref. 80290). |
| Affinities: close to B. taeniurus and B. opisthotaenia; body with clearly wider band than the former; dark band starts less forward than in B. opisthotaenia, originating slightly posterior to vertical through dorsal fin origin in B. kingsleyae, but originating at a vertical through dorsal fin origin in B. opisthotaenia (Ref. 80290). |
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Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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Known from the Chiloango basin in Cabinda (Ref. 1880, 28013, 41597, 120641). Also reported from the southern Congo basin (Ref. 120641) in the Uamba River (Kwango River drainage, middle Congo River basin)(Ref. 11970). |
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