West African ilisha (Ilisha africana)

Scientific name: Ilisha africana Bloch, 1795

West African ilisha (Ilisha africana)

The West African ilisha (Ilisha africana) is a brackish-water fish of the family Pristigasteridae. Native range: Eastern Atlantic, northern Senegal south to Baie de Saint-Bras, Angola.

Biology

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

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Ilisha africana
Family
Pristigasteridae (Pristigasterids)
Order
Clupeiformes (Herrings)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
30.0
Common length
18.0
Depth range
0–25 m (0–82 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; depth range 0 - 25 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: northern Senegal south to Baie de Saint-Bras, Angola.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.8-1.3)

Sources

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

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