Engraulicypris ngalala

biology_ecology

Biology. This species is found in ecological conditions very similar to those characteristic of Engraulicypris gariepinus (Bills 2004). It favours big rivers, gathering in slack, turbid and shallow regions with sandy, rocky or muddy substrates. In Lake Chiuta specimens were caught in reed beds along the margins. The Lake Chiuta and Rovuma River stocks may differ ecologically because Lake Chiuta offers a lacustrine pelagic and benthic prey community (copepods, etc.) that is not found in the Rovuma River channel, where fish would predominantly have access to invertebrate drift.

Phylogeographic, morphometric and taxonomic re-evaluation of the river sardine, Mesobolabrevianalis (Boulenger, 1908) (Teleostei, Cyprinidae, Chedrini)

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Operculum shiny only on ventral posterior edge and small area at posterior edge of orbit (not entire area); body midline black (not silver); head with tubercles along lower jaw and lower head in breeding males; snout rounded (not pointed); iris white to light grey (not dark grey) with a few melanophores; pelvic fin melanophores present, dark and widely dispersed.

Phylogeographic, morphometric and taxonomic re-evaluation of the river sardine, Mesobolabrevianalis (Boulenger, 1908) (Teleostei, Cyprinidae, Chedrini)

distribution

Distribution. Mozambique, Malawi: Rovuma River system and Lake Chiuta.

Phylogeographic, morphometric and taxonomic re-evaluation of the river sardine, Mesobolabrevianalis (Boulenger, 1908) (Teleostei, Cyprinidae, Chedrini)

etymology

Etymology. In the Cyao language spoken in the Niassa region of northern Mozambique, the name ' ngalala' denotes any, small, compressed, silvery fish, including Mesobola and species of Brycinus Valenciennes, 1850 and Hemigrammopetersius Pellegrin, 1926. The epithet is treated as a nominative singular noun in apposition.

Phylogeographic, morphometric and taxonomic re-evaluation of the river sardine, Mesobolabrevianalis (Boulenger, 1908) (Teleostei, Cyprinidae, Chedrini)