Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 20 - 23; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 26 - 28; Vertebrae: 42 - 43. Diagnosis: Marcusenius pongolensis can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: a more slender body, elongated, smaller body depth, 19.1-26.0% of standard length; distance from dorsal fin origin to end of caudal peduncle 37.1-39.8% of standard length; distance from anal fin origin to end of caudal peduncle 40.8-42.2% of standard length; and length of anal fin 19.5-21.9% of standard length; all shorter and non-overlapping with Marcusenius krameri, M. caudisquamatus and M. lucombesi (Ref. 95448). Total vertebrae ranges between 42-43 vs. 44 in other species; posterior total gill rakers 13-14 vs. 15 and 17 in M. caudisquamatus and M. krameri, respectively; lateral line scales 70-73; scales around caudal peduncle 16-17; dorsal fin rays 20-23; anal fin rays 26-28 (Ref. 95448). Electric organ discharge (EOD) lacking a weak head-negative pre-potential, in females and juveniles Ndur of short duration, no striking sexual dimorphism in EOD waveform present, but longer EOD duration and statistically significant increase with standard length in males (Ref. 75962).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Osteoglossiformes

Family: Mormyridae

Genus: Marcusenius

Species: Marcusenius pongolensis (Fowler, 1934)

Climate Zone

Biology

During the day Marcusenius pongolensis is often encountered below undercut river banks, especially in dense network of tree roots; places where there is a countercurrent seem to be especially attractive; in Swaziland it has been observed high up in river systems with rapid water flow and rocky substrate in Swaziland (Ref. 75962).

Habitat

demersal

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless