Arnoldichthys spilopterus

Arnoldichthys spilopterus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Alestidae
Genus: Arnoldichthys
G. S. Myers, 1926
Species: A. spilopterus
Binomial name
Arnoldichthys spilopterus
(Boulenger, 1909)
Synonyms

Petersius spilopterus Boulenger, 1909

Arnoldichthys spilopterus, the Niger tetra, is a characin endemic to Nigeria. It is the only member of its genus.

Description and ecology

Arnoldichthys spilopterus is a tropical freshwater species found only in a limited number of locations in Nigeria (Ogun and Niger rivers).[1] Males are on average 9.6 centimetres (3.8 in) long. Its diet consists of worms, insects, and crustaceans. Females in captivity can lay about 1,000 eggs, which hatch within 30-34 hours.[2]

Conservation

This species is currently classified as vulnerable by the {IUCN due to its limited range coupled with losses to the aquarium trade and ongoing habitat degradation.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Olaosebikan, B.D. & Lalèyè, P. (2006). "Arnoldichthys spilopterus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  2. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2015). "Arnoldichthys spilopterus" in FishBase. 9 2015 version.
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