Marcusenius macrolepidotus (Peters, 1852)
Marcusenius macrolepidotus macrolepidotus (Peters, 1852)
Marcusenius macrolepidotus angolensis (Boulenger, 1905)
Species overview
Medium-sized fish, body moderately deep, moderately elongate, head uneven blunt-snouted, caudal peduncle rather deep, teeth conical. Brown, silvery on belly, countershaded. Size observed: 320 mm TL.
M. macrolepidotus(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body moderately elongate (elongate in pongolensis ),laterally compressed, body depth 22-31 % SL (18 % in pongolensis ), greatest depth close to anal fin.
-Head length 21-27 % SL, head depth 16-23 % SL, 61-84 % body depth.
-Outline of back slightly convex, upper profile of head convex, underside of head convex or slightly concave, outline of belly slightly convex.
-Snout obtusely pointed, 15-27 % head length, 22-48 % postorbital length.
-Mouth 14-22 % head length, terminal, its edge below anterior nostril, upper jaw on a level with centre of eye.
-Chin with short, thick globular swelling.
-Teeth conical (truncate in pongolensis ), 3-5/6.
-Nostrils separate, circular, a little closer to each other than to rim of eye, anterior nostril on a level with upper rim of lens, posterior nostril on a level with lower rim of lens. Axis of nostrils cuts axis of head at an angle between 45 to 60°.
-Eye diameter 13-19 % head length, 19-33 % postorbital length.
-Opercular cleft curved, 27-52 % head length, 49-69 % head depth.
-Dorsal fin 23-25 fin-rays, base of D 17-23 % SL, anal fin 28-33 rays, base of A (20)22-29 % SL, D originating behind origin of A, ending before end of A; predorsal length 57-65 % SL, preanal length 53-62 % SL.
-Pectoral fin obtusely pointed, extending to base of pelvic fin or to its middle. V is closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin obtusely pointed, scaled lobes half as long as entire fin. 50-69 scales in lateral line (72 in pongolensis ); (14) 16 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle 14-20 % SL, its depth 5-10 % SL, 30-55 % its length.
The subspecies M. macrolepidotus angolensis mainly differs in having only 12 scales round caudal peduncle.
-Coloration »Brown above, silvery beneath [countershaded]; a few dark brown blotches may be present on the body; fins dark brown«.
Type locality
M. macrolepidotus macrolepidotus: »River Rovuma« Tanzania, (Rovuma or Ruvuma river 10° 29’ S 40° 29’ E).
G. okavangensis: Okavango river"*) Damaraland - Okahandja, Namibia (21° 00 ‘ S 17° 30 ‘ E).
G. graeverti: »? aus dem Msola-Bach, einem Zuflusse des Ruaha bei Kiperege, Deutsch-Ostafrika« (Tanzania). (Kiperege-Kiberege 7° 57’ S 36° 52’ E)
M. moeruensis: Lac Moero (Lake Mweru), Democratic Republic of Congo (09° 00’ S 28° 45’ E).
M. pongolensis: Pongola river, Paulpietersburg District, South Africa. (Pongola river 26° 52’ S 32° 30’ E).
Marcusenius macrolepidotus angolensis: »Quanza river« Angola (09° 19’ S 13° 08’ E).
Distribution
Upper Congo basin, Zambesi, East flowing rivers of Tanzania and Natal, Ghana: Volta Lake, Namibia - Okahandja *).