Classification / Names Nombres comunes | Sinónimos | Catalog of Fishes(Género, Especie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

> Characiformes (Characins) > Hepsetidae (African pikes)
Etymology: Hepsetus: Greek, epsetas, -e, -on = boiled, but there is the following sentence: "oí epsetoi" = certain fishes, and also could be related to "psetta" = grouper (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecología

; agua dulce demersal. Tropical

Distribución Países | Áreas FAO | Ecosistemas | Ocurrencias, apariciones | Point map | Introducciones | Faunafri

Africa: Quanza, Cunene, Okavango, upper Zambezi and Kafue River systems; in the Congo River basin present in the southernmost part of the Kasai basin and in the lower Luapula River (Ref. 93907).

Length at first maturity / Tamaño / Peso / Age

Maturity: L_m 25.0 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 37.0 cm SL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 30518); edad máxima reportada: 5 años (Ref. 2750)

Short description Morfología | Morfometría

Espinas dorsales (total): 0; Radios blandos dorsales (total): 9; Espinas anales 0; Radios blandos anales: 12. Diagnosis: Hepsetus cuvieri can be distinguished from Hepsetus odoe based on a lower total number of gill rakers on the first gill arch, being 8–13 versus 14–21; a generally higher number of scales between the dorsal fin and the lateral line, 10.5–11.5 versus 7.5–10.5; a typically higher number of scales between the adipose fin and the lateral line, 6.5–7.5 versus 4.5–6.5; and a unique colour pattern characterized by a mottled appearance of the dark brown blotches on the lateral surface of the body versus the presence of vertical brown stripes/bars in that region in Hepsetus odoe (Ref. 93907).

Prefers quiet, deep water, like channels and lagoons of large floodplains; juveniles and fry inhabit well-vegetated marginal habitats (Ref. 7248). Adults feed on fish, juveniles feed on small invertebrates and fish (Ref. 7248). Multiple spawner; breeds over the summer months; relatively short-lived, only 4-5 years; also caught with drawnets (Ref. 7248).

Life cycle and mating behavior Madurez | Reproducción | Puesta | Huevos | Fecundidad | Larva

Builds a free-floating bubblenest.

Main reference Upload your references | Referencias | Coordinador | Colaboradores

Zengeya, T.A., E. Decru and E. Vreven, 2011. Revalidation of Hepsetus cuvieri (Castelnau, 1861) (Characiformes: Hepsetidae) from the Quanza, Zambezi and southern part of the Congo ichthyofaunal provinces. J. Nat. Hist. 45(27-28):1723-1744. (Ref. 93907)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

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Hepsetus cuvieri (Castelnau, 1861)