Pollimyrus castelnaui (Boulenger, 1911)

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Habitat and Ecology:

Habitat and Ecology

This is a demersal species, which inhabits dense vegetation along margins of rivers and floodplain lagoons (Skelton 1993). Often found in lagoons and backwaters in shallow water just underneath the surface vegetation (Bell-Cross and Minshull 1988). It feeds on aquatic insect larvae including a large component of Chironomidae (Bell-Cross and Minshull 1988). This is the smallest mormyrid known from Lake Malawi, not exceeding 10 cm in length. Reported to occur in northern areas of Lake Malawi where it is common in streams and swamps.

Systems

  • Freshwater
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/182769

Environment:

demersal; freshwater

Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorRainer Froese, FishBase
Sourcehttp://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8769

Inhabits dense vegetation along margins of rivers and floodplain lagoons (Ref. 7248). Often found in lagoons and backwaters in shallow water just underneath the surface vegetation (Ref. 13337). Frequency of occurence in Caprivi: occasionally on rocky streams, common in shallow swamps, and abundant in shallow flood plains (Ref. 037065). Feeds on aquatic insect larvae including a large component of Chironomidae.

Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorDrina Sta. Iglesia, FishBase
SourceNo source database.

Statistics of barcoding coverage: Pollimyrus castelnaui:

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1

Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorSujeevan Ratnasingham, Paul D.N. Hebert, Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD)
Sourcehttp://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=256246

IUCN Red List Assessment:
Red List Category

LC
Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version

3.1

Year Assessed

2010

Assessor/s

Bills, R., Marshall, B., Moelants, T., Tweddle, D. & Vreven, E.

Reviewer/s

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

Contributor/s

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 eastern and southern Africa, however taxonomic changes may affect the listings for isolated eastern populations. It is estimated that less than 5 % of the species is found in the central Africa region, and it is therefore categorized as Not Applicable.
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/182769

Population:

Population

In southern Africa, the populations are widespread, although in some areas the species is uncommon where it occurs, e.g. in the Ruvuma Bills (2004) found it to be rare, while in the Lake Malawi system it is restricted to low-lying, well-watered areas on the northern lakeshore (Tweddle and Willoughby 1978). Also extremely rare in the Buzi River system. No information is available for other regions.

Population Trend

Unknown
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/182769

Threats:

Major Threats

The species is widely distributed and has no immediate threats.
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/182769

Least Concern (LC)

Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorRainer Froese, FishBase
Sourcehttp://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8769

Biology:

Inhabits dense vegetation along margins of rivers and floodplain lagoons (Ref. 7248). Often found in lagoons and backwaters in shallow water just underneath the surface vegetation (Ref. 13337). Feeds on aquatic insect larvae including a large component of Chironomidae (Ref. 13337).

Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorRainer Froese, FishBase
Sourcehttp://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8769

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions

The species is protected in reserves such as Kafue National Park on the Kafue River. More research is needed into this species taxonomy, population numbers and range, biology and ecology, and threats, as well as monitoring of population trends.
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/182769
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith