Labeo congoro

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	CYPRINIFORMES	CYPRINIDAE

Scientific Name:

Labeo congoro

Species Authority:

Peters, 1852

Common Name/s:

English

–

Mucise, Mutuba, Perslyf-moddervis, Purple Labeo, Purple Mudsucker, Rooiskub-moddervis

Synonym/s:

Labeo rubropunctatus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1913

Labeo ulangensis Steindachner, 1914

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2010

Assessor/s:

Bayona, J., Bills, R., Cambray, J., Hanssens, M., 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:
Although heavily fished in certain areas this is not considered a threat to this species' survival. This species has a wide distribution and is therefore listed as Least Concern. Despite localised threats it has also been assessed regionally as Least Concern for central, eastern and southern Africa.

History:

2007

–

Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known from the Democratic Republic of Congo south to South Africa. Records from Tanzania are questionable, and could be a different species. Central Africa: Labeo congoro is known from Katanga and Lake Mweru. Eastern Africa: It is distributed throughout the Malagarasi, and Rufiji and Ruaha river systems. Also found in the Lower Shire in Malawi. Southern Africa: This species is widespread and fairly common in the middle and lower Zambezi south to the Phongolo River in South Africa.
Countries:	Native: Burundi; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Malawi; Mozambique; South Africa (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga); Swaziland; Tanzania, United Republic of; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Not particularly common although widespread. Rare in the Malagarasi but otherwise population status is largely unknown. General information on Labeo spp. in Mtera dam indicates a decline in catch composition from 8.5% in 1987 to 4.2% in 1991 (Tamatamah 1996) and in Lake Rukwa the catch composition has declined to about 1.2% (Fish Div.1996). The population is therefore thought likely to be in decline where fishing pressure is high.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

Not particularly common although widespread. Rare in the Malagarasi but otherwise population status is largely unknown. General information on Labeo spp. in Mtera dam indicates a decline in catch composition from 8.5% in 1987 to 4.2% in 1991 (Tamatamah 1996) and in Lake Rukwa the catch composition has declined to about 1.2% (Fish Div.1996). The population is therefore thought likely to be in decline where fishing pressure is high.

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Labeo congoro occurs in strong-flowing rocky stretches of larger perennial rivers. It grazes algae and 'aufwuchs' from rocks ad firm surfaces including the backs of hippos, leaving characteristic tracks. The species migrate upstream in swollen rivers to breed (Skelton 1993). It can occur as either sail-fin or normal varieties (Eccles 1992). This species is benthopelagic and potamodromous (Reide 2004).
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Labeo congoro occurs in strong-flowing rocky stretches of larger perennial rivers. It grazes algae and 'aufwuchs' from rocks ad firm surfaces including the backs of hippos, leaving characteristic tracks. The species migrate upstream in swollen rivers to breed (Skelton 1993). It can occur as either sail-fin or normal varieties (Eccles 1992). This species is benthopelagic and potamodromous (Reide 2004).

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species is heavily fished in all regions, and is at particular risk when nets are set across river mouths during the spawning migrations. Dams and weirs affect river flows, sediment fluxes and seasonal migrations. In the Katanga region, mining for cobalt, copper, tin, uranium, dams and the use of toxic plants for fishing and overfishing form threats in this region. In eastern Africa populations are also threatened by water turbidity and sedimentation of spawning beds.

Major Threat(s):

This species is heavily fished in all regions, and is at particular risk when nets are set across river mouths during the spawning migrations. Dams and weirs affect river flows, sediment fluxes and seasonal migrations. In the Katanga region, mining for cobalt, copper, tin, uranium, dams and the use of toxic plants for fishing and overfishing form threats in this region. In eastern Africa populations are also threatened by water turbidity and sedimentation of spawning beds.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Since 2007 it has been prohibited to fish in Lake Mweru and the Luapula River on the Congolese site of the border. In Zambia, there is the Kasanka National Park around Lake Bangweulu. The fines didn’t work in this region. Even scientific collections were stopped. The government has burned 10,000 nets after measuring the nets. The governor (Morris Katunge) has paid the fishermen. Since 1st of May 2008, fishing was allowed again, but with controlled mesh sizes. Fisheries management needs to be implemented in certain riverine fisheres in Mozambique. Fishways should be designed into weirs and dams.

Conservation Actions:

Since 2007 it has been prohibited to fish in Lake Mweru and the Luapula River on the Congolese site of the border. In Zambia, there is the Kasanka National Park around Lake Bangweulu. The fines didn’t work in this region. Even scientific collections were stopped. The government has burned 10,000 nets after measuring the nets. The governor (Morris Katunge) has paid the fishermen. Since 1st of May 2008, fishing was allowed again, but with controlled mesh sizes. Fisheries management needs to be implemented in certain riverine fisheres in Mozambique. Fishways should be designed into weirs and dams.

Citation:	Bayona, J., Bills, R., Cambray, J., Hanssens, M., Kazembe, J. & Marshall, B. 2010. Labeo congoro. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 February 2012.
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