Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps) > Labeoninae
Etymology: Labeo: Latin, labeo = one who has large lips (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Peters.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Subtropical; 22°C - 26°C (Ref. 13614); 11°S - 27°S
Africa: Zambezi river and the Incomati system (Ref. 1440); the warmer lowveld reaches of the middle and lower Zambezi system (Ref. 52193); Pungwe, Buzi, Sabi and Lundi rivers but absent from the cooler sections (Ref. 1440). Also from the rivers of Tanzania, the Luapula-Moero region of the Congo basin and Malagarasi River in Lake Tanganyika (Ref. 1440).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 41.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52193); max. published weight: 7.0 kg (Ref. 52193)
Found in strong-flowing rocky stretches of larger perennial rivers (Ref. 52193). It grazes algae and `aufwuchs' from rocks and firm surfaces including the backs of hippos, leaving characteristic tracks (Ref. 52193). Migrates upstream in swollen rivers to breed (Ref. 7248, 52193). Can occur as either sail-fin or normal varieties (Ref. 4967).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Reid, G.M., 1985. A revision of African species of Labeo (Pisces: Cyprinidae) and a re-definition of the genus. Verlag von J. Cramer, Braunschweig. 322 p. (Ref. 1440)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes
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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=0.01047 (0.00518 - 0.02117), b=3.06 (2.89 - 3.23), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100).