Zaireichthys heterurus • Amphiliidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Zaireichthys heterurus** Roberts, 2003
Common Name(s)	None
Type Locality	River Avokoko, affluent rive droit fleuve Congo, kilometer 21 route Kisangani-Wanie Rukula, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Pronunciation	za eer ICK thiss
Etymology	Zaireichthys: From the Zaire river and the Greek ichthys, meaning fish; in reference to the type of the genus and its collection locality. From the Greek heteros meaning different and oura meaning tail.
Species Information
Size	35mm (1.4") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	The majority of species are small and compact, have a defense mechanism of three ossified spines in the dorsal and pectoral fins,being able to lock them into place which makes the genus different from all other Amphiliidae. Color pattern spotted with a broad dark collar emediately behind the head. Caudal fin deeply forked, upper lobe much shorter and smaller and falcate, lower lobe rounded; fin rays in lower lobe noticeably thicker than those in upper lobe.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Widely distributed in the eastern sector of the Congo Basin.
Husbandry Information
Furniture	In nature the majority of species are found over or in sand in flowing rivers. There is one known lake dwelling species from Lake Malawi which is also found over sand and living in snail shells.
Breeding	Unreported.
Further Information
References	Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences v. 54 (no. 5).
Registered Keepers	None.
Breeding Reports	None.
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Last Update	2013 Feb 20 17:36 (species record created: 2011 Sep 23 20:15)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Zaireichthys heterurus Roberts, 2003

None

River Avokoko, affluent rive droit fleuve Congo, kilometer 21 route Kisangani-Wanie Rukula, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Pronunciation

za eer ICK thiss

Etymology

Zaireichthys: From the Zaire river and the Greek ichthys, meaning fish; in reference to the type of the genus and its collection locality. From the Greek heteros meaning different and oura meaning tail.

Species Information

Size

35mm (1.4") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

The majority of species are small and compact, have a defense mechanism of three ossified spines in the dorsal and pectoral fins,being able to lock them into place which makes the genus different from all other Amphiliidae.

Color pattern spotted with a broad dark collar emediately behind the head. Caudal fin deeply forked, upper lobe much shorter and smaller and falcate, lower lobe rounded; fin rays in lower lobe noticeably thicker than those in upper lobe.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Widely distributed in the eastern sector of the Congo Basin.

Husbandry Information

Furniture

In nature the majority of species are found over or in sand in flowing rivers. There is one known lake dwelling species from Lake Malawi which is also found over sand and living in snail shells.

Breeding

Unreported.

Further Information

References

Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences v. 54 (no. 5).

Registered Keepers

None.

Breeding Reports

None.