Scientific Name
Ilisha africana

Common Name
West African ilisha

Biology
Found along beaches and just offshore; also in lagoons and estuaries, penetrating into almost freshwater. Feeds on plankton, benthic invertebrates, fish, and detritus (Ref. 28587).

Classification

Classified By

Bloch, 1795

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Herrings (Clupeiformes)

Family

Pristigasterids (Pristigasteridae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Atlantic

Distribution

Eastern Atlantic: northern Senegal south to Baie de Saint-Bras, Angola.

Range

17°N - 7°S, 17°W - 14°E

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

25 m

Zone

pelagic-neritic

Environment

Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; depth range 0 - 25 m (Ref. 26999)

Trophic Level

3.44 s.e. 0.54 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

30.0 cm

Common Length

18.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (19 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.8-1.3)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated