Marcusenius livingstonii (Boulenger, 1898)
Species overview
Small to medium-sized fish, body moderately deep, mouth terminal, globular swelling on chin thick, gular profile concave; silvery with brownish back and a pale brown band between origins of the unpaired fins. Size observed: 151 mm SL.
M. livingstonii(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body moderately elongate, laterally compressed, moderately deep, depth of body 27-31 % SL, greatest depth anterior to anal fin. Length of head 22-25 % SL, depth of head 18-20 % SL, 62-72 % depth of body.
-Outlines of both back and belly slightly curved; front profile moderately curved, gular profile concave.
-Snout, 23-27 % length of head, 35-44 % postorbital length.
-Mouth wide, 13-19 % length of head, terminal, its edge below anterior nostril.
-Chin with short, thick globular swelling.
-Teeth notched, 5/6.
-Nostrils separate, circular, posterior nostril on a level with centre of eye, anterior nostril above it, distance between nostrils smaller than distance from the eye, their axis making an angle of about 30° to axis of head.
-Eye diameter 11-19 % length of head, 18-25 % postorbital length.
-Opercular cleft curved, 34-44 % length of head.
-Dorsal fin 21-24 fin-rays, base of D 18-21 % SL, anal fin 28-31 rays, base of A 23-26 % SL, D originating posterior to A, ending anterior to end of A; predorsal length 59-65 % SL, preanal length 57-61 % SL.
-Pectoral fin obtusely pointed, extending to middle of pelvic fin. V is closer to P than to A.
Caudal fin membranes obtusely pointed, scaled lobes rounded, half as long as entire fin. 62-65 scales in lateral line; 12 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle about three times as long as deep.
-Coloration Silvery, brownish on the back, countershaded, a rather pale darker band between origins of D and A which are without colour markings.
Type locality
»R. Rovuma« Tanzania. (10° 29 ‘ S 40° 28 ‘ E)
Distribution
East flowing rivers of Tanzania, Lake Malawi and adjacent waters.