Erpetoichthys calabaricus
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Polypteridae (Bichirs and Reedfish)
Erpetoichthys
Erpetoichthys calabaricus
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: eel-like. Diagnosis: The dorsal fin is composed of a series of well-separated spines each supporting one or several articulated rays and a membrane (Ref. 42791). Erpetoichthys calabaricus is distinguished from all Polypterus species by its very elongated, anguilliform body and the absence of ventral fin and subopercle (Ref. 2835, 42768, 81263).
Description: Body extremely elongate and anguilliform; subcylindrical, the height of which is comprised up to 24 times in standard length and head length 11 to 14 times in standard length (Ref. 2835, 42768, 42908, 81263, 81628). Head without subopercle, very faintly flattened, 1,6 to 2 times longer than broad; upper jaw prominent (Ref. 2835, 42908, 81263). Eye lateral, its diameter comprised 7,5 to 8,5 times in head length (Ref. 2835, 81263, 81628). Pelvic fins and girdle absent (Ref. 81628). Dorsal fin with 7-13 fin rays, largely separated from the others; anal fin with 9-14 rays; ventral fin absent (Ref. 2835, 42908, 81263, 81628). Body covered with rhombic ganoid scales (Ref. 42791): 106-114 in lateral line, 30-34 around body, 28-33 predorsal scales, 48-51 prepelvic scales; lateral line scales simply perforated (Ref. 2835, 42908, 81263, 81628).
Colouration: In alcohol, colour is uniformly olive brown on the back and upper part of the flanks, whitish to beige on belly (Ref. 2835, 81263, 81628). A broad dark spot on pectoral fins, extending almost to the tip of the fin rays (Ref. 2835, 81263, 81628). Striking features: none.
Distribution
Africa: coastal species, inhabiting river estuaries from Ouémé River in Benin to Sanaga River in Cameroon (Ref. 53784, 81628). Also reported from the Chiloango River (Ref. 1878, 2835, 3188, 42870, 43033, 81263), but this record needs confirmation and needs to be supported by additional material evidence (Ref. 53784, 81628).
Habitat Associations
Freshwater, brackish. demersal. Found in: streams.
Biology
Found in slow flowing rivers and standing waters (Ref. 557). Apparently restricted to reedy habitats (Ref. 42768). It moves snake-wise over the bottom, but it can also side-wind quite rapidly through the water (Ref. 42873). Feeds at night on worms, crustaceans and insects (Ref. 7020). Able to breathe air and thus can tolerate low oxygen concentrations. Larvae have external gills and resemble salamander larvae (Ref. 557). The maximum size of 90 cm TL (Ref. 3188) is probably erroneous; the largest size in collections is 37 cm (Ref. 78138).
Max length: 37.0 cm SL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Parallel swimming courtship; female deposits few eggs between anal fins of male, where they are fertilized and then scattered in vegetation where they immediately stick to substrate. This procedure is repeated many times. Eggs are 2.1-2.6 mm in diameter. Larvae hatch after 70 hours but remain attached to vegetation; 22 days after hatching the yolk sac is absorbed and larvae start feeding.
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT), assessed 2019-06-07. Resilience: Low (tmax=20; Fec = 264).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial.
References
Wheeler, A. (1977) Das grosse Buch der Fische. Eugen Ulmer GmbH & Co. Stuttgart. 356 p.
Gosse, J.-P. (1990) Polypteridae. p. 79-87. In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douces et saumâtres d'Afrique de l'Ouest. Tome 1. Coll. Faune Trop. n° XXVIII. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren and Éditions de l'ORSTOM, Paris. 384 p.
Britz, R. and R. Roesler (2008) Erpetoichthys calabricus. Flösselaale erstmals nachgezogen. D.A.T.Z. 61(8):10-15.
Gosse, J.P. and J. Daget (2003) Polypteridae. p. 101-112. In D. Paugy, C. Lévêque and G.G Teugels (eds.) The fresh and brackish water fishes of West Africa Volume 1. Coll. faune et flore tropicales 40. Institut de recherche de développement, Paris, France, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France and Musée royal de l'Afrique Central, Tervuren, Belgium, 457p.
Britz, R. (2007) Polypteridae. p. 168-173. In M.L.J. Stiassny, G.G. Teugels and C.D. Hopkins (eds.) The fresh and brackish water fishes of Lower Guinea, West-Central Africa. Volume I. Collection Faune et Flore tropicales 42. Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France, and Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgium. 800 pp.
Comments On Erpetoichthys calabaricus