West African pygmy herring (Sierrathrissa leonensis) fish species and information / pictures of West African pygmy herring - Sierrathrissa leonensis

West African pygmy herring (Sierrathrissa leonensis) fish species information

Scientific Name
Sierrathrissa leonensis

Common Name
West African pygmy herring

Biology
Occurs in rivers but also in man-made lakes. Schools in open shallow waters, rising to about 30 cm at night in Lake Volta. Feeds on plankton, especially cladocerans.

Classification

Classified By

Thys van den Audenaerde, 1969

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Herrings (Clupeiformes)

Family

Herrings, shads and sardines (Clupeidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: Senegal to Cameroon, apparently in both lower and upper reaches of rivers, but the latter only confirmed in the case of the Niger; also the man-made lakes Kainji (Nigeria) and Volta (Ghana).

Range

18°N - 0°N

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

8 m

Zone

pelagic

Environment

Freshwater; pelagic; depth range 0 - 8 m

Trophic Level

3.1 s.e. 0.30 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

3.0 cm

Common Length

2.3 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 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 (10 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm

Threat To Humans

  Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

  Least Concern (LC)