Hydrocynus vittatus
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Characiformes (Characins)
Alestidae (African Tetras)
Hydrocynus
Hydrocynus vittatus
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal. Diagnosis: large fang-like teeth overlapping the jaws when the mouth is closed; gill-rakers long, about equal to the length of gill filaments; body generally > 22% of SL (Ref. 28714). 43-53 scales in lateral line; 2 scale rows between lateral line and scaly process at pelvic-fin bases; eye < 70% of interorbital space (Ref. 2880, 81279). Dorsal-fin origin at about same level as pelvic-fin insertions (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). Gill rakers few (5-9/9-12) but rather long (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279), about equal to the length of gill filaments (Ref. 28714). Tips of adipose and dorsal fins black; forked edge of caudal fin black (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). Dark caudal fin coloration may also extend unto median caudal rays, forming crescent-shaped blotch (Ref. 80290, 81279). Dark longitudinal streaks present above the lateral line (Ref. 28714). Striking features: none.
Distribution
West Africa: Niger, Bénoué, Ouémé, Senegal (Ref. 2880, 5331, 7248, 81279), Ouémé (unconfirmed, Ref. 81279), Chad (Ref. 2880, 5331, 81279). Also found in the Volta (Ref. 5331, 81279) and Mono rivers (Ref. 81279). Lower Guinea: Cross and Sanaga basins (Ref. 80290). Widespread throughout the Congo River basin (Ref. 4910, 41585, 41594, 42510, 45616, 52070, 89725, 106290). Also reported from Nile, Omo, Zambezi, Limpopo, Rovuma, Shire, Rufiji, Ruaha, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Rukwa (Ref. 2880, 80290), Lake Albert (Ref. 4903) and Lake Kariba (Ref. 27602), Malagarazi, Okavango and lower reaches of coastal systems south to the Pongolo (Ref. 7248).
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. demersal. Found in: streams, lakes.
Biology
Prefers warm, well-oxygenated water, mainly larger rivers and lakes; all but the largest form roving schools of like-sized fish; aptly described as fierce and voracious; diet increasingly piscivorous, becoming exclusive fish feeders when above 90-100 mm length; feeds on whatever prey is most abundant but Brycinus, Micralestes, Barbus, and Limnothrissa are favored (Ref. 7248, 52193). Piscivorous, but may also eat Caridina and insects (Ref. 28714). Useful food fish in some areas (Ref. 4967).
Max length: 105.0 cm FL; max weight: 27980 g; max age: 8 years.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018-04-30. Resilience: Medium (K=0.20-0.30; tmax=11).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
Williams, R. (1972) Relationships between the water levels and the fish catches in Lakes Mweru and Mweru Wa Ntipa, Zambia. Afr. J. Trop. Hydrobiol. Fish. 2(1):21-31.
Eccles, D.H. (1992) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Field guide to the freshwater fishes of Tanzania. Prepared and published with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (project URT/87/016). FAO, Rome. 145 p.
Poll, M. (1967) Contribution à la faune ichthyologique de l'Angola. Diamang Publ. Cult., nr. 75:381 p.
IGFA (2001) Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Munro, J.L. (1967) The food of a community of East African freshwater fishes. J. Zool., Lond. 151:389-415.
Paugy, D. and S.A. Schaefer (2007) Alestidae. p. 347-411. In M.L.J. Stiassny, G.G. Teugels and C.D. Hopkins (eds.) Poissons d'eaux douces et saumâtres de basse Guinée, ouest de l'Afrique centrale/The fresh and brackish water fishes of Lower Guinea, west-central Africa. Vol. 1. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 42. Istitut de recherche pour le développement, Paris, France, Muséum nationale d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France and Musée royale de l'Afrique centrale, Tervuren, Belgique. 800 p.
Paugy, D. (2003) Alestidae. p. 236-282. 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.
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