Upper Zambezi labeo | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cypriniformes |
Family: | Cyprinidae |
Subfamily: | Labeoninae |
Genus: | Labeo |
Species: | L. lunatus |
Binomial name | |
Labeo lunatus R. A. Jubb, 1963 | |
The Upper Zambezi labeo (Labeo lunatus) is a species of cyprinid fish of the genus Labeo native to southern Africa. [2]
This species occurs in the Upper Zambezi and Okavango Rivers, [2] in Angola; Botswana; Namibia; Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a common species but the population varies with the fluctuations in the flooding of the river systems. [1]
This species inhabits rocky areas of streams as well as large soft-bottomed lagoons in floodplains. It feeds mostly on algae, aufwuchs and detritus. [2] It is found over quieter rocky substrates and generally avoids rocky rapids. Its prefers the main channel of the rivers and has been recorded throughout the floodplain system It is a shoaling species which breeds in summer, most likely in flooded marginal habitats. [1]
This species can reach a length of 40 centimetres (16 in) SL. The maximum recorded weight of this species is 2.5 kilograms (5.5 lb). [2] It is greenish or silvery grey in colour with parallel lines along the body formed by the dark bases to the scales, it also has blackish membranes on the fins. The fleshy outer lips are covered in papillae with the inner edges being horny with sharper edges. The dorsal fin has four spines and 9-11 soft rays, while the anal fin has three spines and five soft rays. [3]
L. lunatus is important to local artisanal fisheries. [2] The species' population in the Upper Zambezi has declined probably as a result of overexploitation by fisheries catching the fish on their spawning runs. In addition, fish weirs set across the waters draining from floodplains catch large numbers of young fish returning to the rivers as the flood waters recede. [1]
The bludger, also known as the bludger trevally, nakedbreast trevally or Bleeker's jackfish, is a widespread species of large marine fish in the jack family, Carangidae. The bludger inhabits the tropical and subtropical regions of the Indo-west Pacific Ocean, distributed from South Africa in the west to Japan and New Caledonia in the east. It is a large fish, growing to a maximum recorded length of 90 cm, and is very similar to the yellowspotted trevally, Carangoides fulvoguttatus, but can be separated by the complete absence of breast scales and a number of other anatomical features. The species inhabits moderately deep offshore coral and rocky reefs, where it preys on small crustaceans and fish. The reproductive biology of the species is poorly known, but it appears to move to more tropical waters to spawn. The bludger is of intermediate importance to fisheries throughout its range, taken by hook and line and various netting methods. It is of some value to anglers also, considered a good gamefish, but generally regarded as poor eating due to its soft oily flesh, which is used as bait by many anglers. The name ‘bludger’ is said to either refer to the blunt head of the species, or the destination of the fish when caught by professional fishermen who treat the fish as discard.
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