| Hydrocynus brevis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Young Hydrocynus brevis specimen at approximately 6 inches (15 cm) in length. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Alestidae |
| Genus: | Hydrocynus |
| Species: | H. brevis |
| Binomial name | |
| Hydrocynus brevis Günther, 1864 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Hydrocynus brevis, also known as the tigerfish, Nile tigerfish or Sahelian tigerfish, is a predatory freshwater fish distributed throughout Africa.
The tigerfish is silver in colour when young, with thin black horizontal stripes and an elongated body that tapers at both ends. As the fish grows, it will develop a bronze coloration and the stripes will fade. The ventral and caudal fins have a slight red-orange tint, and the adipose fin is grey to black. It grows to a length of 86 centimetres (34 in) SL. [3]
This species has a wide distribution. It is found from Senegal to Ethiopia, throughout the Nile. In Northeast Africa it is found in the Ghazal and Jebel systems, Sudan, as well as Baro River, Ethiopia. In Western Africa it is known from Chad, Niger/Bénoué, Volta, Senegal and Gambia.
A demersal, potamodromous freshwater species, Hydrocynus brevis prefers open-water habitats. It feeds mainly on fish and shrimps, with smaller individuals consuming aquatic insects.
This species is rather common over most of its range, without any known widespread threats. There is, however, a conservation policy in place in Ghana, and one potential threat is overfishing, as well as deforestation and pollution. There currently is a lack of research regarding the population of the species and its range. Habitat maintenance and restoration may also be required. [1]
African tetras are a group of characiform fish exclusively found in Africa. This family contains about 18 genera and 119 species. Among the best known members are the Congo tetra, and African tigerfish.
Tigerfish can refer to fish from various families, and derives from official and colloquial associations of these with the tiger. However, the primary species designated by the name "tigerfish" are African and belong to the family Alestidae.
The red-fronted gazelle is widely but unevenly distributed gazelle across the middle of Africa from Senegal to northeastern Ethiopia. It is mainly resident in the Sahel zone, a narrow cross-Africa band south of the Sahara, where it prefers arid grasslands, wooded savannas and shrubby steppes.
Pelvicachromis pulcher is a freshwater fish of the cichlid family, endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon. It is popular amongst aquarium hobbyists, and is most commonly sold under the name kribensis, although it has other common names, including various derivatives and color morphs of the kribensis: krib, common krib, red krib, super-red krib and rainbow krib, along with rainbow cichlid and purple cichlid.
Rhamphochromis is a genus of East African haplochromine cichlids endemic to the Lake Malawi basin, also including Lake Malombe, Lake Chilingali, Chia Lagoon and upper Shire River. They mainly occur in offshore open waters, but a few species also near the coast. They are piscivores that typically feed on lake sardines and small utaka cichlids.
The southern redbelly dace, is a North American species of temperate freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. The natural geographic range extends from Western New York to Minnesota, and south to Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama. This fish prefers flowing pools of creeks and streams.
Hydrocynus is a genus of large characin fish in the family Alestidae commonly called "tigerfish," native to the African continent. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek ὕδωρ ("water") + κύων ("dog"). The genus contains five species, all popularly known as "African tigerfish" for their fierce predatory behaviour and other characteristics that make them excellent game fish. Hydrocynus are normally piscivorous, but H. vittatus is the only freshwater fish proven to prey on birds in flight.
The lake salmon or mpasa is an African species of freshwater fish, endemic to Lake Malawi, in the family Cyprinidae found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are rivers and freshwater lakes.
Leptopelis viridis is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is widely distributed in the West and Central African savanna zone between Senegal and the Gambia to the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Synodontis batensoda, the upsidedown catfish, is a species of mochokid upside-down catfish. It is unevenly distributed in inland waters across Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia, and is also known as a squeaker or giant upside-down catfish. It was originally described by Eduard Rüppell in 1832 in the paper "Continuation of the description and figure of several new fish, in the Nile. p1-14".
Serranochromis is a genus of relatively large, robust cichlids from freshwater habitats in mainland Southern Africa, ranging as far north as DR Congo and Tanzania, with the highest species richness in the upper Zambezi, Okavango and Congo basins. They are typically known as largemouths or, especially among fishers, breams. Serranochromis are mostly piscivores and they are important in local fisheries.
The daisy stingray, Dasyatis margarita, is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in shallow waters along the coast of West Africa. This species typically grows to 60 cm (24 in) across and has a rounded pectoral fin disc and a wide band of dermal denticles over its back. It is characterized by a greatly enlarged, nacreous denticle in the middle of its back called a "pearl spine"; this feature is shared with the similar but much smaller pearl stingray, which has often been confused with this species. The daisy stingray feeds mainly on crustaceans and exhibits aplacental viviparity, with litters of 1–4 young. Heavily pressured by fisheries and possibly habitat degradation, this once-common species is declining and has been assessed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Raiamas senegalensis is a species of cyprinid fish in the genus Raiamas from western Africa east to the River Nile. It sometimes is found in the aquarium trade.
Labeobarbus bynni, the Niger barb, is an African species of cyprinid freshwater fish. It has often been placed in the genus Barbus, but is now usually placed in Labeobarbus. This is a relatively large barb, up to 82 cm (32 in) in total length. It is caught as a food fish, but catches can vary greatly from year to year.
Hydrocynus goliath, also known as the goliath tigerfish, giant tigerfish, or mbenga, is a very large African predatory freshwater fish of the family Alestidae.
Hydrocynus vittatus, the African tigerfish, tiervis or ngwesh is a predatory freshwater fish distributed throughout much of Africa. This fish is generally a piscivore but it has been observed leaping out of the water and catching barn swallows in flight.
Hepsetus cuvieri, sometimes known as the African pike or Kafue pike characin, is a predatory freshwater fish found in southern Africa. This species was described in 1861 by the French naturalist Francis de Laporte de Castelnau.
Hydrocynus forskahlii, the elongate tigerfish, is a species of predatory characin from the family Alestidae which is found in northern and western Africa.
Chaetodon zanzibarensis, the Zanzibar butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It has a wide distribution throughout the western Indian Ocean stretching from the eastern coast of Africa to Madagascar, the Seychelles, Réunion and Mauritius.
Hemichromis letourneuxi is a species of cichlid which is native to West Africa and is popular in the aquarium hobby and it has been introduced to the Caribbean and the south-east United States where it is invasive.
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