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Heterotis - Species in
Arapaimidae - - Classification -
- Arapaimidae
- Osteoglossiformes
- Teleostei
- Chordata
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Heterotis niloticus
Picture by Katemo Manda, B.
Pictures | Stamps, coins, misc. | Google image
Picture by Katemo Manda, B.
Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) > Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) > Arapaimidae (Bonytongues)
Etymology: Heterotis: Greek, heteros = other + Greek, ous, otis = ear (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Cuvier.
Etymology: Heterotis: Greek, heteros = other + Greek, ous, otis = ear (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Cuvier.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic; depth range 1 - ? m (Ref. 13851). Tropical; 25°C - 30°C (Ref. 2060); 16°N - 3°N, 17°W - 37°E
Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Africa: native in all basins of the Sahelo-Sudanese region, the Senegal, Gambia, Corubal, Volta, Ouémé, Niger, Bénoue, Chad and Nile basins and Lake Turkana (Ref. 2920, 3012, 3514). Successful introductions in the storage reservoirs of Côte d'Ivoire, Cross, Sanaga, Nyong and Ogowe rivers and the lower and middle Congo basin, including Ubangui and Kasaï (Ref. 2920); rapidly enlarged its distribution in the Lualaba, upper Congo basin, after extraordinary inundations in 1979 (Ref. 51906). Also introduced in Madagascar (Ref. 3514, 13333). Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 40.0, range 40 - 40 cm
Max length : 100.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 31256); max. published weight: 10.2 kg (Ref. 2920)
Max length : 100.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 31256); max. published weight: 10.2 kg (Ref. 2920)
Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 32 - 37; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 34 - 39; Vertebrae: 66 - 69. Elongated and robust body, its height 3.5-5 times in SL (Ref. 2920). Relatively short head, its length 3.5-5 times in standard length (Ref. 2920, 5156). Dermal bones of cranium deeply carved by large sensory pits (Ref. 1878, 2920). Lips thick; dermal flap on border of gill cover (Ref. 13851). Teeth conical (Ref. 5156). Dorsal and anal fins spineless, elongated and posteriorly positioned, ending close to the small, rounded caudal fin (Ref. 3032, 13851, 28714, 30488). Caudal peduncle very short (Ref. 2756, 3054, 3069). Scales strong, thick, large (Ref. 28714, 30488), oval, with exposed portion thick and corrugated, with a more or less vermiform sculpture (Ref. 53264). 34-40 lateral-line scales, 2.5/6 scales on lateral side of body before pelvic fin, 5-6 scales between dorsal and anal fin (Ref. 367, 2756, 2920, 5156). Lateral line a straight line from above operculum to middle of caudal peduncle (Ref. 1878). Number of gill rakers increases with size: 33 (young) to 98 on ceratobranchial and 21 (young) to 76 on epibranchial (Ref. 2920). Young specimens with external gills (Ref. 30488). Coloration a uniform gray, brown or bronze (Ref. 2920), darker during period of reproduction (Ref. 367). Young specimens often with dark longitudinal bands and scales with an oval spot in posterior zone of anal and dorsal fins (Ref. 2920).
Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274), able to survive in deoxygenated waters; the hardiness of this fish, together with its great growth rate make it a candidate for aquaculture in Africa and it has been transported to a number of countries for this purpose (Ref. 1739, 50623). Escapees from ponds into the wild resulted in established populations, which form the basis for fisheries (Ref. 1739). Maximum observed length in Lake Kainji: 100 cm, observed weight: 10000 g (Ref. 3034, 3799). Young found in swampy places among aquatic vegetation (Ref. 5156, 30488). Adults live in open water of rivers and lakes, in both the pelagic and littoral zone (Ref. 5156). Feeds on mud (Ref. 6160, 28714), phytoplankton (Ref. 3023, 28714, 31256), vegetable debris and small invertebrates (Ref. 28714). The only plankton-feeder of the Osteoglossidae (Ref. 13851). Suprabranchial organ has a sensory function and a mechanic function in concentrating little food particles (Ref. 3012, 50624). During breeding, mature adults create a circular nest in swamps (Ref. 13851, 26281, 41544). Young leave the nest after a few days and are guarded by the male (Ref. 26281).
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Breeds in the wet season in swamps and floodplains (Ref. 28714), building a circular nest about 1 m in diameter and 20 to 60 cm deep (Ref. 26281). The rim of the nest is a high wall formed out of plant chunks, about 15-20 cm thick and projecting above the water surface; the bottom is a clean platform of clay or mud; after spawning the fish leave by way of a hole in the wall through which, 5 days later, the young leave the nest and are guarded by the male (Ref. 26281). Also Ref. 3074, 10609, 36900.
Main reference
Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators
Paugy, D., 1990. Osteoglossidae. p. 114-115. 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 1. Coll. Faune Trop. n°XXVIII. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren and Éditions de l'ORSTOM, Paris. 384 p. (Ref. 2920)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 14 August 2019
CITES
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Potential pest (Ref. 40814)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial
FAO - Aquaculture systems: production; ; Publication: search | FishSource |
More information
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Genetics
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability
Tools
E-book | Field guide | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map | Classification Tree
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Special reports
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Internet sources
AFORO (otoliths) | Alien/Invasive Species database | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Aquaculture systems: production; ; Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD50 = 1.0312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01175 (0.00859 - 0.01608), b=2.85 (2.77 - 2.93), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 2.7 ±0.1 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.22-0.4; Fec > 1,000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (55 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref. 124155): Calcium = 77.4 [37.9, 190.3] mg/100g; Iron = 1.48 [0.76, 3.78] mg/100g; Protein = 16.8 [14.3, 19.1] %; Omega3 = 0.449 [0.166, 1.282] g/100g; Selenium = 76 [24, 210] μg/100g; VitaminA = 20.9 [6.4, 68.6] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.54 [1.01, 2.45] mg/100g (wet weight);