African butter catfish
African butter catfish | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Siluriformes |
Family: | Schilbeidae |
Genus: | Schilbe |
Species: | S. mystus |
Binomial name | |
Schilbe mystus (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
Synonyms | |
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The African butter catfish (Schilbe mystus) is a species of fish in the Schilbeidae family. It is native to all major river systems in Africa. Its natural habitat is freshwater lakes and rivers. Other common names for the fish include butter fish, butter barbel, African glass catfish, lubangu, mystus catfish, silver barbel, and silver catfish.[2]
The African butter catfish possesses a compressed body and very small adipose fin. It can grow up to 40 centimetres (16 in) TL. As a predator it feeds on invertebrates and fish, as well as algae.[3] It has been noted to feed on the fish species Elephant snout (Hyperopsusus bebe) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).[3]
This fish is of commercial importance in many parts of Africa, providing a good-tasting, relatively low-cost source of protein.[3]
Notes
- ↑ Encyclopedia of Life. Synonyms. Accessed 3 May 2014.
- ↑ Azeroual, A., et al. 2010. Schilbe mystus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Downloaded on 09 April 2015.
- 1 2 3 Ayoade, A., et al. (2008). Diet and dietary habits of the fish Shilbe mystus (Siluriformes: Shilbeidae) in two artificial lakes in southwestern Nigeria. Rev Biol Trop 56:4 1847-55.
References
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2012). "Schilbe mystus" in FishBase. February 2012 version.