Marcusenius macrolepidotus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	OSTEOGLOSSIFORMES	MORMYRIDAE

Scientific Name:

Marcusenius macrolepidotus

Species Authority:

(Peters, 1852)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Bulldog, Bulldog-fish, Elephant Nose, Tana-bulldog

Synonym/s:

Gnathonemus graeverti Steindachner, 1914

Gnathonemus macrolepidotus (Peters, 1852)

Gnathonemus moeruensis Boulenger, 1915

Gnathonemus okavangensis Pappenheim, 1907

Marcusenius graeverti (Steindachner, 1914)

Marcusenius rhodesianus (Maar 1962)

Mormyrus macrolepidotus Peters, 1852

Taxonomic Notes:

Formerly considered a widespread species, the name M. macrolepidotus is now restricted to the species found in the Middle and Lower Zambezi river system and the Buzi system to the south of the Zambezi (Kramer et al. 2007). Specimens from the Rovuma River were considered intermediate between M. macrolepidotus and M. devosi from the Tana River in Kenya and may represent another taxon. This taxon may include the species from Lakes Chilwa and Chiuta, headwaters of the Zambezi. Specimens from Lake Malawi are potentially either M. macrolepidotus or the Rovuma taxon.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2010

Assessor/s:

Tweddle, D.

Reviewer/s:

Snoeks, J., Getahun, A., Lalèyè, P., Paugy, D., Zaiss, R., Fishar, M.R.A. & Brooks, E.

Justification:
This species has a wide distribution, with no known major widespread threats. It is therefore listed as Least Concern.

History:

2007	–	Least Concern (IUCN 2009.2)
2006	–	Least Concern (IUCN 2006)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is restricted to the Middle and Lower Zambezi system and the Buzi River to the south. It possibly also occurs in Lake Malawi, but the identity of these specimens needs to be re-examined.
Countries:	Native: Malawi; Mozambique; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	This species is very common in suitable habitats.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	M. macrolepidotus is a demersal and potamodromous (migrates within fresh water only) species which prefers well-vegetated, muddy bottomed marginal habitats of rivers and floodplains. This species moves inshore after dark, and has been recorded to move up tributaries in shoals during flood season.
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats for this species. The river systems are large and generally healthy apart from perturbations in flow caused by hydroelectricity generation.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats for this species. The river systems are large and generally healthy apart from perturbations in flow caused by hydroelectricity generation.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are no specific conservation measures for this species. The taxonomy of some possible populations of this species need to be verified.

Conservation Actions:

There are no specific conservation measures for this species. The taxonomy of some possible populations of this species need to be verified.

Citation:	Tweddle, D. 2010. Marcusenius macrolepidotus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 07 February 2012.
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