Rednose labeo (Labeo altivelis)

Scientific name: Labeo altivelis Peters, 1852

Rednose labeo (Labeo altivelis)

The Rednose labeo (Labeo altivelis) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae.

Biology

Prefers large rivers but is also found in large lakes and dams. Grazes on algae and `aufwuchs' from rocks. From October to December in Lake Mo?ro, the adults gather and migrate to the spawning grounds. They go up the Luapula River up to the foot of Johnston Falls where they undergo one massive spawning between January and March. This massive spawning of short duration is known as kapata in the Luapula-Mo?ro system and in the tributaries of the Luapula. This species is intensely fished and caviar is produce from eggs collected during migration from Lake Mo?ro to Luapula River.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Labeo altivelis
Family
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order
Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
49.0
Environment
Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Africa: lower and the middle reaches of the Zambezi River system, including the Shire and Lake Malawi. Range now thought to extend to some East Coast rivers (Rufiji system), to parts of the Upper Congo River and the Luapula-Mweru region of the 'Congo'
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=9)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated