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Labeo mesops Günther, 1868

Tana labeo
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Labeo mesops
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Kenya country information

Common names: Tana labeo
Occurrence: questionable
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: live export: yes;
Comments: Reported from Tana River drainage (Ref. 1440, 52331, 97924), but the taxonomic status of this population is uncertain (Ref. 52331).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/ke.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.recoscix.org/openscrn.htm
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Seegers, L., L. De Vos and D.O. Okeyo, 2003
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Nomi Comuni | Sinonimi | Catalog of Fishes(Genere, Specie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

> Cypriniformes (Carps) > Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps) > Labeoninae
Etymology: Labeo: Latin, labeo = one who has large lips (Ref. 45335);  mesops: From the Greek word mesos meaning middle or half and opsis meaning sight; name refers to the state of the type material which was only half of the skin (Ref. 26190).
  More on author: Günther.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecologia

; acqua dolce benthopelagico; potamodromo (Ref. 51243).   Tropical

Distribuzione Stati | Aree FAO | Ecosystems | Presenze | Point map | Introduzioni | Faunafri

Africa: present in Lake Malawi basin (Ref. 1878, 52161, 55909, 96560), Juba system (1440) and Ruvuma River (Ref. 1440, 97286). Status Tana River population is uncertain (Ref. 52331). Reports from the Lufira River, Upper Congo River basin (Ref. 1440, 26190), are misidentifications of Labeo rosae (Ref. 96560).

Length at first maturity / Size / Peso / Age

Maturity: Lm 33.9  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 39.0 cm TL maschio/sesso non determinato; (Ref. 2801)

Short description Morfologia | Morfometria

Spine dorsali (totale): 3; Raggi dorsali molli (totale): 10-12; Spine anali 3; Raggi anali molli: 5; Vertebre: 34.

Biologia     Glossario (es. epibenthic)

Found in shallow water over sandy bottoms (Ref. 5595, 52161). Is a mud-feeder (Ref. 52161), feeds from the biocover and sediment on the sand (Ref. 5595). Also caught using weirs and baskets; formerly very abundant in Malawi, but now rare except where rivers drain undisturbed soil; possible that silt prevents development of eggs (Ref. 4967). Indications that it may leave the lake and run up rivers to spawn (Ref. 52161).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturità | Riproduzione | Deposizione | Uova | Fecundity | Larve

Spawns in small, muddy wet season rivers leading to swampy dambos (Ref. 2781). Holds its spawn until the rivers flood.

Main reference Upload your references | Bibliografia | Coordinatore | Collaboratori

Tshibwabwa, S.M., 1997. Systématique des espèces africaines du genre Labeo (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) dans les régions ichtyogéographiques de Basse-Guinée et du Congo. I. Presses Universitaires de Namur, Namur, Belgique. 302 p. (Ref. 26190)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

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