Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
Africa: Ntem basin (Ref. 81636) and Dja River (middle Congo River basin) (Ref. 89136) in Cameroon, Mbini River in Equatorial Guinea (Ref. 42020), and Louetsi (=Ngounié, Ogooué tributary), Nyanga and Mouvanga Creek in Gabon (Ref. 81636). Also reported from the Itimbiri and Aruwimi (middle Congo River basin)(Ref. 106290) and the Lualaba (upper Congo River basin)(Ref. 41590) in Democratic Republic of the Congo, but these are considered questionable in Ref. 81636.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 9.2 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81636)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 11; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10; Vertebrae: 39. Diagnosis: body a little depressed in front (Ref. 1878), elongate, fusiform (Ref. 81636), its depth 5.66 (Ref. 41590) - 9.1 (Ref. 1878) times in TL, 8.5-9.1 times in SL (Ref. 89112, 89136), 10.8-14.5% SL, with greatest depth at or slightly anterior to dorsal fin origin (Ref. 81636). Head broader than deep, about 1.5 times as long as broad, its length 4.5-5 times in TL (Ref. 1878), 17.2-21.7% SL (Ref. 81636). Snout rounded, about as long as postorbital part of head (Ref. 1878, 89136), 2.35-2.8 times in HL (Ref. 89136). Eye superolateral, 3.75 (Ref. 41590) - 5.75 (Ref. 89136) times in HL, 1.3-1.75 times in interorbital distance, 1.65-2.45 times in snout length (Ref. 89136). Interorbital width 28.6-45.1% HL (Ref. 81636), 3.2-3.55 times in HL (Ref. 89136). Dorsal fin 1.2-1.3 times further from snout tip than from caudal fin origin (Ref. 89136), at equal distance from eye and root of caudal (Ref. 1878). Anal fin origin 2 (Ref. 1878) - 2.4 (Ref. 89136) times as distant from root of pelvics as from root of caudal. Pectoral fin paddle shaped (Ref. 81636), very large, 4-4.75 times in SL, 0.95- 1.2 times in HL (Ref. 89136). Pelvic fin 4.85-6.25 times in SL, 1-1.35 times in HL (Ref. 89136). Caudal peduncle about 1.45 (Ref. 89136) - 1.66 (Ref. 1878) times as long as deep.
Microphagous feeder (Ref. 51193).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Poll, M., 1984. Kneriidae. p. 129-133. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. Vol. 1. (Ref. 3565)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
FAO -