Teleostei (teleosts) >
Clupeiformes (Herrings) >
Dorosomatidae (Gizzard shads and sardinellas)
Etymology: Odaxothrissa: Greek, odax, = with the teeth + Greek, thrissa, -es = shad (Ref. 45335); mento: The specific epiteth mento, from the Latin mentum meaning 'chin', is made in allusion of the prominent lower jaw (Ref. 54749).
More on author: Regan.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Tropical; 13°N - 2°S
Africa: lower parts of Volta and Niger basins (Ref. 188, 3509, 54749), including Benue River (Ref. 188, 81269); also from Cross River in Nigeria to Wouri River in Cameroon (Ref. 188, 81631). Apparently not in Congo River basin (Ref. 188).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2246); max. published weight: 41.00 g (Ref. 2246)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 18; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 18 - 21; Vertebrae: 42 - 44. Diagnosis: Body moderate, sometimes deep, its depth 25% of standard length or more; 13-18 pre-pelvic and 8-10 post-pelvic scutes, 1-2 scutes before pectoral fin origin, first pre-pectoral scute as long as, or smaller than, following scutes without ascending arms; lower jaw strongly projecting, with strong canine teeth at symphysis; pre-maxilla with 2-4 strong backward-pointing canine teeth on each side behind outer row of pre-maxillary teeth; lower gillrakers 16-19, shorter than corresponding gill filaments; anal fin with 18-21 rays; silver stripe along flank (Ref. 188, 54749, 81269, 81631). It resembles Odaxothrissa ansorgii, which has more gillrakers, 22-33 vs. 16-19; and Pellonula vorax, which lacks canine teeth in the upper jaw and has longer gillrakers, equal in length to gill filaments vs. shorter (Ref. 188, 54749).
Found in rivers and streams, also in the man-made Lake Volta, but only in the most riverine parts (Ref. 188). It feeds on small fishes, including its own juveniles, and aquatic insects (Ref. 188, 2246). Possibly migrates upstream to breed (Ref. 188). It enters artisanal fisheries, but catches are small (Ref. 188).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Gourène, G. and G.G. Teugels, 1994. Synopsis de la classification et phylogénie des Pellonulinae de l'Afrique Occidentale et Centrale (Teleostei; Clupeidae). J. Afr. Zool. 108(1):77-91. (Ref. 28136)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00832 (0.00491 - 0.01410), b=2.92 (2.77 - 3.07), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.3 ±0.75 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
