Marcusenius livingstonii

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	OSTEOGLOSSIFORMES	MORMYRIDAE

Scientific Name:	Marcusenius livingstonii
Species Authority:	(Boulenger,1898)
Common Name/s: English – Livingstone's Bulldog
Synonym/s:	Gnathonemus livingstonii Boulenger, 1899 Gnathonemus nyasensis Worthington, 1933
Taxonomic Notes:	The synonomy of the Malawi and Rovuma populations needs to be verified using modern methods of electrical organ discharge and genetics.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern     ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2010
Assessor/s:	Bills, R., Engelbrecht, J. & Vreven, E.
Reviewer/s:	Snoeks, J., Tweddle, D., Getahun, A., Lalèyè, P., Paugy, D., Zaiss, R., Fishar, M.R.A & Brooks, E.
Justification: Although there has been a local decline in the sub-population in the Kidatu and Mtera dams and no where is it particularly common, the species is widespread with no known immediate threats to the main population, and no indication of declines or fluctuations. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern. It is also categorized as Least Concern for eastern and southern Africa regional assessments.
History:	2006 – Least Concern (IUCN 2006)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known from Tanzania, Malawi, and northern Mozambique. Eastern Africa: It is distributed in Kidatu dam, Mtera dam, and the Great Ruaha, Rufiji, Wami and Ruvuma rivers. It occurs throughout Lake Malawi and its catchment, the Middle Shire and the affluent streams of Lakes Chilwa and Chiuta. Southern Africa: This species is present in the Rovuma River system.
Countries:	Native: Malawi; Mozambique; Tanzania, United Republic of
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Catch compositions in Kidatu and Mtera dams have declined from 1.5% in 1987 to 0.01% in 1996 (Fish. Div. 1987,1996, Tamatamah 1996).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species is found in shallow quiet waters in rivers, swamps, lagoons and sheltered estuaries, usually moving upstream in floodplains to spawn (Eccles 1992). A nocturnal feeder, feeding on invertebrates and weeds. It has been observed under the shelter of floating islands, a possible vector for dispersal, in Lake Malawi.
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):

The Rovuma system is heavily fished by artisanal gill net fishermen. Braids and pools in the Rovuma system are also poisoned with traditional plant poisons. Elsewhere, this species is suffering negative impacts from commercial and illegal overfishing, pollution and siltation of the waterways, and habitat degradation from deforestation and agricultural encroachment.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

A better understanding of this species ecological range and population numbers is required. Taxonomic studies are needed to determine if Malawi and Rovuma populations are in fact the same species. Levels of exploitation and the impacts of this needs to be studied.

Bibliography [top]

Pan-Africa freshwater assessment references. Currently, full citations for references used in the Pan-Africa biodiversity assessments are unavailable on the Red List web site. These will be added to the site in 2011. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes. IUCN. 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2010.3). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 2 September 2010).