Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels) >
Mastacembelidae (Spiny eels)
Etymology: Mastacembelus: Greek, mastax, -agos = bite + Greek, emballo = to throw oneself (Ref. 45335); shiloangoensis: Named for the Shiloango River basin, to which the species seems to be endemic (Ref. 52436).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
Africa: endemic to the Chiloango River basin in Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 52436, 81678) and Angola (Ref. 120641).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52436)
Dorsal spines (total): 25 - 27; Dorsal soft rays (total): 72 - 85; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 66 - 79; Vertebrae: 86 - 88. Diagnosis: head length 14.2-14.9% SL (mean 14.6%), decreasing with size (Ref. 81678). Origin of first dorsal spine situated behind posterior edge of pectoral fin, 2.5-9.9% SL (mean 5.3%)(Ref. 52436, 81678). Body depth 6.7% SL; distance from tip of snout to last externally visible dorsal spine 50.5-51.6% SL (mean 51.2%), decreasing with size (Ref. 81678). Origin of soft dorsal fin clearly anterior to origin of soft anal fin (Ref. 52436, 81678). Lower jaw length 21.3-26.9% HL (mean 23.9%), increasing with size; distance from gill opening to dorsal pectoral fin base 4.3-9.6% HL (Ref. 81678). 24+1 to 26+1 (median 25+1) dorsal spines; no preorbital spines; no preopercular spines (Ref. 52436, 81678). Color pattern characterized by a series of mediodorsally situated dark brown to black spots on body, tail and proximal parts of dorsal and anal fins (Ref. 52436).
Occurs in streams (Ref. 52436). Maximum reported total length 151 mm (Ref. 81678).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Vreven, E.J., 2004. Aethiomastacembelus shiloangoensis, a new spiny-eel fron the Shiloango River basin, Africa (Synbranchiformes: Mastacembelidae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 15(2):97-104. (Ref. 52436)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00257 (0.00122 - 0.00544), b=2.97 (2.79 - 3.15), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.6 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).