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Hydrocynus - Species in
Alestidae - - Classification -
- Alestidae
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Hydrocynus vittatus Castelnau, 1861
Tiger fish
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Hydrocynus vittatus
Picture by de Vos, L.
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Picture by de Vos, L.
Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) > Characiformes (Characins) > Alestidae (African tetras)
Etymology: Hydrocynus: Greek, hydr = water + Greek, kyon = dog (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Castelnau.
Etymology: Hydrocynus: Greek, hydr = water + Greek, kyon = dog (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Castelnau.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology
Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
West-Africa: Niger, Bénoué, Ouémé, Senegal (Ref. 2880, 5331, 7248, 81279), Ouémé (unconfirmed, Ref. 81279), Chad (Ref. 2880, 5331, 81279). Also found in the Volta (Ref. 5331, 81279) and Mono rivers (Ref. 81279). Lower Guinea: Cross and Sanaga basins (Ref. 80290). Widespread throughout the Congo River basin (Ref. 4910, 41585, 41594, 42510, 45616, 52070, 89725, 106290). Also reported from Nile, Omo, Zambezi, Limpopo, Rovuma, Shire, Rufiji, Ruaha, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Rukwa (Ref. 2880, 80290), Lake Albert (Ref. 4903) and Lake Kariba (Ref. 27602), Malagarazi, Okavango and lower reaches of coastal systems south to the Pongolo (Ref. 7248).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 39.8 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 105 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); 74.0 cm FL (female); max. published weight: 28.0 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 8 years (Ref. 2754)
Max length : 105 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); 74.0 cm FL (female); max. published weight: 28.0 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 8 years (Ref. 2754)
Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15. Diagnosis: large fang-like teeth overlapping the jaws when the mouth is closed; gill-rakers long, about equal to the length of gill filaments; body generally > 22% of SL (Ref. 28714). 43-53 scales in lateral line; 2 scale rows between lateral line and scaly process at pelvic-fin bases; eye < 70% of interorbital space (Ref. 2880, 81279). Dorsal-fin origin at about same level as pelvic-fin insertions (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). Gill rakers few (5-9/9-12) but rather long (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279), about equal to the length of gill filaments (Ref. 28714). Tips of adipose and dorsal fins black; forked edge of caudal fin black (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). Dark caudal fin coloration may also extend unto median caudal rays, forming crescent-shaped blotch (Ref. 80290, 81279). Dark longitudinal streaks present above the lateral line (Ref. 28714).
Prefers warm, well-oxygenated water, mainly larger rivers and lakes; all but the largest form roving schools of like-sized fish; aptly described as fierce and voracious; diet increasingly piscivorous, becoming exclusive fish feeders when above 90-100 mm length; feeds on whatever prey is most abundant but Brycinus, Micralestes, Barbus, and Limnothrissa are favored (Ref. 7248, 52193). Piscivorous, but may also eat Caridina and insects (Ref. 28714). Useful food fish in some areas (Ref. 4967).
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Main reference
Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators
Paugy, D. and S.A. Schaefer, 2007. Alestidae. p. 347-411. In M.L.J. Stiassny, G.G. Teugels and C.D. Hopkins (eds.) Poissons d'eaux douces et saumâtres de basse Guinée, ouest de l'Afrique centrale/The fresh and brackish water fishes of Lower Guinea, west-central Africa. Vol. 1. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 42. Istitut de recherche pour le développement, Paris, France, Muséum nationale d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France and Musée royale de l'Afrique centrale, Tervuren, Belgique. 800 p. (Ref. 80290)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 30 April 2018
CITES
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
FAO - 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
Anatomy
Gill area
Brain
Otolith
Gill area
Brain
Otolith
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 | Identification keys | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map | Classification Tree
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Special reports
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Internet sources
AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | Public aquariums | 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 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01047 (0.00834 - 0.01314), b=3.03 (2.97 - 3.09), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.4 ±0.0 se; based on diet studies.
Generation time: 3.7 (3.0 - 5.0) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 14 growth studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.20-0.30; tmax=11).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref. 124155): Calcium = 69.1 [24.4, 163.4] mg/100g; Iron = 1.47 [0.76, 3.56] mg/100g; Protein = 19.5 [17.4, 21.7] %; Omega3 = 0.462 [0.179, 1.253] g/100g; Selenium = 75 [30, 165] μg/100g; VitaminA = 30.6 [9.0, 102.8] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.887 [0.602, 1.339] mg/100g (wet weight);