Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Siluriformes (Catfish) >
Amphiliidae (Loach catfishes) > Amphiliinae
Etymology: Amphilius: Greek, amphi = on both sides + Greek, leios = fat.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical, preferred ?
Africa: southern Cameroon in Nyong to Ntem Rivers, and from Ogowe River to Loueme River (Ref. 81646).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81646)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
spines
(total): 0;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 7;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 7. Body slender and low, slightly depressed anteriorly, width tapers to a compressed caudal peduncle (Ref. 81646). Head length 3.6-4.5 times in standard length, head obtuse in front, broader behind and depressed, profile gently rounded above, flat below; branchiostegal membrane deeply cleft mid-ventrally; snout shorter than post-orbit, nostrils in mid-snout, narrowly separated; eyes small, relatively widely separated, confluent with head; mouth subterminal, lips fleshy, teeth caniniform in pad on premaxilla and band along lower jaw; barbels slender and filamentous, maxillary pair longest, extending to above pectoral fins (Ref. 81646). Caudal peduncle short, 6-7.5 times in standard length, and deep, its length 1-1.6 times in its depth (Ref. 81646). Fins short and broad, origin of dorsal one head length behind head, dorsal base extends over pelvic fin origin, dorsal rounded, leading ray shorter than leading edge; pectorals short, not reaching pelvics, broad, leading ray slender, pectinate and padded; pelvics short, not reaching anal fin base, rounded, lead ray slender, pectinate and padded; anal fin short and slender, reaching close to base of caudal; caudal fin broad, emarginate, crenellated fleshy flap over base; adipose fin low, extends from above anal fin to procurrent ridge of caudal fin (Ref. 81646). Anus and genital pore close to pelvic fin bases (Ref. 81646).
Colour: Colour pattern varies considerably between individuals and localities but commonly uniformly dark brown with fine black spots over the whole lateral and upper body and head, ventral surface from head to anal fin is light brown or cream (Ref. 81646). The caudal fin is yellow with a large central black spot; dorsal fin rays are brown with clear membranes; all other fins are without distinct pigmentation or pattern (Ref. 81646). Variations of this pattern include an increasing degree of larger spots along the flanks and upper body to heavily spotted individuals with the background pigment a light brown; a starkly different vermiculated pattern lacking a black spot on the caudal is observed in one population from the Lower Ogowe (Ref. 81646).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Skelton, P.H., 2007. Amphiliidae. p. 753-789. 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. (Ref. 81646)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries:
More information
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningFecundityEggsEgg development
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
