| Zambezi bream | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Genus: | Pharyngochromis |
| Species: | P. acuticeps |
| Binomial name | |
| Pharyngochromis acuticeps Steindachner, 1866 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Zambezi bream (Pharyngochromis acuticeps), also known as dwarf bream, is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is found in river systems in southern Africa.
The Zambezi bream is a medium-sized species of haplochromine which has a large head with a rounded snout and an slightly, upward pointing mouth. It has a slender body with a relatively straight outline, a long dorsal fin and a truncated caudal fin. The dorsal fin contains 14-16 spines and 10-13 soft rays while the anal fin has 2 spines and 7-10 soft rays. The lateral line is in two sections and contains 36 scales. The body is brown in colour on the upperside which his marked by darker brown bars, with the colour becoming iridescent green towards the belly. The scales have red in their centres and there are red dots on the parts of the dorsal and anal fins supported by rays, while the tail has brown spots and there are orange egg imitating spots on the anal fin. [3] They grow to a total length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in). [2]
The Zambezi bream is found in the upper and middle catchments of the Zambezi River system in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia, in the upper Save River and upper Runde River in Zimbabwe and in the Chobe River, Okavango River and Cunene River in Botswana, Namibia and Angola. [3] A population in the Mwekera, a tributary of the Kafue River may represent a separate species. [1] Although some sources state that it is absent in the Cunene. [4]
The Zambezi bream is found in the margins of river channels and tributaries where there is a slower current as well as in lagoons and floodplains dominated by sawgrass, wherever there is an abundance of aquatic plants or tangles of tree roots. They are predators which feed on molluscs especially snails and freshwater mussels, as well as freshwater crustaceans and insect larvae and the eggs and fry of other fishes. It is preyed on by cormorants and African darters and also by subsistence fishermen. Spawning takes place in the summer and the female takes a brood of 800 eggs into her mouth after spawning, she also mouthbroods the fry. They have a lifespan of 3–4 years. [3] This species is possibly an important intermediate host of the parasitic nematodes of the genus Contracaecum , the ultimate hosts being the piscivorous birds which frequently feed on Zambezi bream including white-breasted cormorant, long-tailed cormorant, African darter and grey heron. [5]
The African banded barb, Angola barb, blue-barred barb or fire barb is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae.
The yellowtail trumpeter, Amniataba caudavittata, is a common species of coastal marine fish of the grunter family, Terapontidae. The yellowtail trumpeter is native to Australia and Papua New Guinea, ranging from Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia along the north coast to Bowen, Queensland, and along the southern coast of Papua New Guinea.
Acanthopagrus butcheri, the black bream but also commonly known as the southern black bream, southern bream and blue-nosed bream, is a species of marine and freshwater fish of the porgy family, Sparidae. It is a deep-bodied fish, occasionally confused with other similar species that occur within its range, but is generally distinguished from these species by a lack of yellow ventral and anal fins. Southern black bream are endemic to Australia, inhabiting the southern coast from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Ulladulla, New South Wales, as well as Tasmania.
Synodontis leopardinus, known as the leopard squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Cunene, Okavango and upper Zambezi Rivers. It was first described by Jacques Pellegrin in 1914. The original specimens were obtained in Barotsés, on the Zambezi River in Zambia. The species name leopardinus means "leopard like", referring to the fish's small black spots on a yellowish body.
Synodontis macrostigma, known as the largespot squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia where it is found in the Cunene, Okavango, upper Zambezi and Kafue River systems. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1911, from specimens collected in the Okovango River, Botswana, by R. B. Woosnam. The species name macrostigma is derived from the Greek word makros, meaning "large", and the Greek word stigma, meaning "mark" or "spot" and refers to the large spots on the sides of the fish.
Synodontis macrostoma, known as the largemouth squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Namibia and Zambia where it is found in the Kafue, upper Zambezi, Okavango and Cunene Rivers. It was first described by Paul H. Skelton and Peter N. White in 1990. The original specimens were obtained in Upper Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo, Caprivi, Namibia. The species name macrostoma means "large mouth", which refers to its distinctive large mouth.
Synodontis nebulosus, known as the cloudy squeaker, or clouded squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the lower Zambezi River basin of Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was first described by German naturalist and explorer Wilhelm Peters in 1852, from a specimen collected in the Zambezi River at Tete, Mozambique. The species name nebulosus is derived from the Latin word nebulosus, meaning "foggy", "cloudy", or "full of mist".
Synodontis nigromaculatus, known as the spotted squeaker, the blackspotted squeaker, or the speckled squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is found widely in southern Africa. It has been identified in Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1905, from specimens collected in Lake Bangweulu in Zambia.
Synodontis woosnami, known as the Upper Zambezi squeaker, or bubblebarb squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe where it is found in the upper Zambezi and Okavango River basins and the Cunene River. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1911, from a specimen collected in the Okavango River in the Lake Ngami district of Botswana. The species name woosnami is derived from R. B. Woosnam, the collector of the first specimen.
Synodontis zambezensis, known as the brown squeaker, the korokoro, or the plain squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the middle and lower Zambezi River system of Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was first described by German naturalist and explorer Wilhelm Peters in 1852, from specimens collected in the Zambezi River in Mozambique. The species name zambezensis is derived from the Zambezi River, where this species is found.
The Upper Zambezi labeo is a species of cyprinid fish of the genus Labeonative to southern Africa.
The papermouth, also known as the silverfish is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Enteromius.
The sooty grunter, also known by the name black bream, blubberlips, Northern grunter or purple grunter, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a grunter from the family Terapontidae. It inhabits coastal and inland freshwater creeks and rivers of northern Australia.
Melanoides victoriae is a species of a freshwater snail, a gastropod in the Thiaridae family.
Etheostoma exile, the Iowa darter, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is, along with about 17 other species of darters, is native to the lakes and streams of Iowa.
Tilapia sparrmanii, the banded tilapia, or vlei kurper, is a widespread and adaptable cichlid fish that is found in warmer freshwater habitats of southern Africa. They prefer water with ample plant cover, and occur naturally as far north as DR Congo and Tanzania. They have been introduced locally in the northern hemisphere. Younger banded tilapia feed on crustaceans and insect larvae, while the adults feed on terrestrial and aquatic plants and other debris. They undertake local migrations and may shoal before and during spawning time. They guard their own eggs, and although they may move eggs or fry in the mouth, they are not known to be actual mouthbrooders like several other tilapia species. This species can reach a length of 23.5 centimetres (9.3 in) TL and is an important foodfish.
Percina roanoka, the Roanoke darter, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It isnative to Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina in the United States. It is found in the Roanoke, Tar, and Neuse river systems, typically in small to medium size rivers. It is a colorful species with an average length of 4.3 centimeters (1.7 in). It feeds on insect larvae and other small invertebrates, and spawns in late May and June. It is a common fish with a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Bidyanus welchi, commonly known as Welch's grunter, black bream, or silver bream, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the family Terapontidae native to Australia.
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.
The grooved mullet is a species of ray-finned fish, a grey mullet from the family Mugilidae. It is found in the coastal waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the western coast of Africa, as far north as Mauritania, and into the western Indian Ocean.
