Citharinus latus
| Citharinus latus | ||||||||||||
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Citharinus latus |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Citharinus latus | ||||||||||||
| Müller & Troschel (ex Ehrenberg), 1844 |
Citharinus latus ,moonfishin English , is aspecies of fish nativeto Africa that belongs to the straight tetra family(Citharinidae). The name Citharinus is based on the body shape of the fish and is reminiscent of a kithara .
Occurrence and habitat
Citharinus latus is widespread and occurs from West Africa to Ethiopia . The species is found in Senegal , the Casamance region , Niger , Volta and the Chad Basin. In addition, in coastal rivers in Guinea-Bissau , Togo and Benin . Also in the Nile , in its tributaries Ghazal and Jebel , in Lake Nasser (Lake Nubia) and in Lake Albert (Lac Mobutu-Sese-Seko).
description
The fish are high-backed and heavily compressed on the sides and are reminiscent of white fish in their habitus. The body color is silvery white, the adipose fin is dark in color, the anal fin is often reddish. Your body is covered with small and very numerous cycloid scales. There are small rod-shaped teeth in the mouth, which are arranged on the lips. The formula for the fins is: dorsal 20–23, anal 23–26. The fish can be up to 84 centimeters long and 2.5 kilograms.
Way of life
Citharinus latus is a schooling fish and occurs in open water. The omnivorous fish can be found in search of food in water areas of standing or flowing water overgrown with underwater plants. If the food is available, C. latus shows rapid growth. The species feeds on phytoplankton , growth, detritus and small benthic animals. In the Sudd of Sudd , Citharinus latus spawns on permanently flooded areas during floods.
Economical meaning
Citharinus latus is an edible fish locally. The fish can be kept in aquariums at a water temperature of 22–26 ° C.
Hazardous situation
The species is currently not considered threatened. Factors that can threaten stocks include overfishing, introduced aquatic plants, deforestation, sediment deposition and drought.
Remarks
- ↑ Actually Citharinus latus Ehrenberg in Müller & Troschel, 1844.
- ↑ Sunfish due to their rounded appearance
literature
- Axel Zarske: Citharinus latus Müller & Troschel, 1845. In: Claus Schaefer, Torsten Schröer (ed.): The large lexicon of aquaristics. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8001-7497-9 , p. 244.