Scientific Name
Heterobranchus longifilis

Common Name
Sampa

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26-35; Anal soft rays: 42 - 52; Vertebrae: 55 - 61. Head long, broad and somewhat rectangular in dorsal outline; snout broadly rounded; eyes with superolateral position. Frontal fontanelle long and narrow; occipital fontanelle oval-shaped. Tooth plates wide. Suprabranchial organ well developed. Pectoral spine strongly serrated on anterior side. Adipose fin with blackish posterior part, nearly as long as dorsal fin (Ref. 4967); caudal fin barred. Openings of secondary canals hardly visible but display a regular pattern.

Classification

Classified By

Valenciennes, 1840

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Catfish (Siluriformes)

Family

Airbreathing catfishes (Clariidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: Nile, Niger, Senegal, Congo system, upper and middle Zambezi. Also from Lakes Tanganyika and Edward (Ref. 7248), Gambia and Benue River, Chad and Volta basins, and the coastal basins of Guinea to Nigeria (Ref. 7357).

Range

27°N - 19°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

22 °C

Water Temperature To

23 °C

Depth From - meters

10 m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 10 - ? m (Ref. 7248)

Trophic Level

3.72 s.e. 0.66 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

150 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5625 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (69 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.11; tmax > 11; Fec > 10,000)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)