Distichodus schenga

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	CHARACIFORMES	DISTICHODONTIDAE

Scientific Name:	Distichodus schenga
Species Authority:	Peters, 1852

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern     ver 3.1
Year Published:	2010
Assessor/s:	Bills, R., Kazembe, J. & Marshall, B.
Reviewer/s:	Snoeks, J., Tweddle, D., 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. It has also been assessed regionally as Least Concern for southern Africa. In east Africa it is restricted to one locality in Malawi, the Lower Shire River, and is therefore assessed as Vulnerable.
History:	2007 – Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is found in Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Eastern Africa: It is present in the lower Shire River and its tributaries Ruo River, Malawi. Southern Africa: It is known from the middle and lower Zambezi, Pungwe and Buzi river systems.
Countries:	Native: Malawi; Mozambique; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species is abundant in the lower Zambezi - one of the major species in the artisanal fishery. It has declined in Lake Kariba since early impoundment.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Normally restricted to main river channels over both rocky and sandy substrates. One of the most abundant species in the lower Zambezi.
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):

In eastern Africa this species is threatened by overfishing, and siltation and regression of vegetated wetland around river and lakes.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

Unknown. Population trends should be monitored.

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).