Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gonorynchiformes (Milkfishes) >
Kneriidae (Shellears)
Etymology: Kneria: From Kner, that studied fishes in the Imperial Museum of Vienna, with Jean Natterer (1817) (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Dr Rudolf Kner (1810–1869) was an Austrian zoologist specialising in ichthyology. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Steindachner.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
Africa: Kwango drainage (middle Congo River basin) in Angola (Ref. 1878). Also reported from the Kunene and (upper) Zambezi systems (Ref. 13332), although presence in the latter is questionable in Ref. 120641. Presence in the Okavango (Ref. 13332) and southern Kasai (Ref. 45616) uncertain, although considered present in the southern Congo basin in Angola in Ref. 120641.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 9.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3565)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 11 - 12. Diagnosis: body height less than head length (Ref. 3022), the latter 5.5-6 times in total length (Ref. 1878, 3022). Eye lateral, well visible from below (Ref. 1878), its diameter 3-3.66 times in head length (Ref. 1878, 3022). Dorsal fin origin behind pelvic fins (Ref. 1878, 3022). In males, snout with spine-like tubercles (Ref. 1878, 83772). Ventral profile of lower jaw slightly ventrally curved, except in the middle where it is more or less dorsally curved; more than 100 scales on lateral line; blackish grey band from the back of the head to the caudal fin (Ref. 83772). Lateral line origin curving dorsally above opercular organ, the latter not overlying the anterior lateral line (Ref. 88971). Black spot at base of pelvic and pectoral fins; 2 black spots at base of anal fin (Ref. 3022, 83772). Blackish brown spots just above and below lateral line (Ref. 83772).
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
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5001 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).