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Alestes dentex (Linnaeus, 1758)

Description

Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 21 - 26; Vertebrae: 45 - 48. Diagnosis: multicuspid teeth set in two rows and not overlapping the jaws when the mouth is closed; teeth stout, not compressed; eyes without or with weakly developed adipose lids; anal fin with 22-26 rays (Ref. 28714). At most 27 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch (18-27); 3 unbranched and 18-23 branched anal-fin rays; dorsal-fin origin distinctly behind level of pelvic-fin insertions (Ref. 2880, 81279). Scales small (Ref. 28714), 43-51 in lateral line (Ref. 2880, 81279).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Characiformes

Family: Alestidae

Genus: Alestes

Species: Alestes dentex (Linnaeus, 1758)

Climate Zone

  • Tropical

    • Location

  • Africa: Chad, Niger, Volta, Gambia, Senegal (Ref. 2880, 81279). Outside West Africa this species is found in Nile basin, including Lower Nile, White Nile, Blue Nile and Murchison Nile (Ref. 5331) and Lake Mobutu Sese Seko [=Lake Albert] and Omo-Lake Turkana system (Ref. 2880).

    • Biology

    Omnivorous, stomachs examined contained seeds, zooplankton, insects or fish fry (Ref. 28714). Two subspecies: Alestes dentex dentex in the Nile and Alestes dentex sethente (Valenciennes, 1849) in Sudanian basins of West Africa.

    Habitat

    pelagic