Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
Africa: Sudanian species - Senegal, Gambia, Niger (downstream from Bamako), Volta, Chad. Unlike Distichodus rostratus, it is not found in the lower basins of the Volta and other coastal basins between Gambia and Niger (Ref. 2936, 86396). Also found in the White Nile (Ref. 2936).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 59.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2936); max. published weight: 13.0 kg (Ref. 121466)
Diagnosis: mouth terminal; body depth 2.2-3.6x and head length 3.2-4.7x SL; caudal peduncle 0.7-0.9x longer than wide; eye diameter 3.6 (juveniles)-6.7x head length; scale formula 17.5-20.5/84-97/22.5-26.5; 18-20 scales between lateral line and pelvic-fin bases; 13-16 anal fin branched rays; 19-24 dorsal fin branched rays; juveniles with numerous spots on sides (Ref. 2936, 86396).
Maximum TL was recorded at 70 cm (Ref. 7094). Prefers flowing water. Feeds on vegetation and periphyton (Ref. 28714).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Gosse, J.-P. and E.J. Coenen, 1990. Distichodontidae. p. 237-260. 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 I. Coll. Faune Tropicale n° XXVIII. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren and O.R.S.T.O.M., Paris, 384 p. (Ref. 2936)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
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=0.01175 (0.00690 - 0.02001), b=3.05 (2.90 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.0 ±0.00 se; based on food items.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (49 of 100).