Ctenopoma nigropannosum Reichenow, 1875
Twospot climbing perch
Ctenopoma nigropannosum
photo by Hippocampus-Bildarchiv

Family:  Anabantidae (Climbing gouramies)
Max. size:  15.5 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater,
Distribution:  Africa: Chiloango and Kouilou basins in Angola (Cabinda Province) and Republic of Congo; also in the Ngongo-Noumbi rivers area in Republic of Congo (Ref. 81650). Common throughout most of the Congo River basin (Ref. 1880, 41585, 41591, 45441, 81650, 93897, 106245, 106290). Report from the Ogowe River (Ref. 1880) unconfirmed (Ref. 81650). Widely transported by the aquarium fish trade.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 17-21; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-13; Anal spines: 8-10; Anal soft rays: 9-13; Vertebrae: 30-31. Diagnosis: dorsal fin with 18-20 spines (17, 21 rare) and 10-12 (9, 13 rare) soft rays; anal fin with 8-9 spines (10 rare) and 10-12 (9, 13 rare) soft rays; 12-15 (mode 14) pectoral fin rays; dorsal profile rounded; snout blunt; body fusiform; pelvic fin clear; frequently an oblong brown bar on caudal peduncle; overall pigmentation usually grey (Ref. 81650). Description: body typically fusiform, with blunt snout and head; 15-20 scales in upper lateral line, 6-16 in lower; 2-4 scales above upper lateral line, 7-9 below; 2-18 serrations above opercular notch, 0-11 serrations within notch, 2-20 serrations below, 6-20 subopercular serrations, 0-9 interopercular serrations, preopercle entire (Ref. 81650). Coloration: adults dark brownish grey or grey overall, with up to 9 faint bars on flanks; on caudal peduncle 3-4 of these bars fuse into an oblong stripe, a typical feature of juveniles and young adults, but fading with size; membrane in opercular notch frequently black; pelvic fin always clear and unpaired fins not darkly pigmented; juvenile specimens (up to 40 mm SL) have up to 9 black bars on flanks, each one scale row wide (Ref. 81650).
Biology:  Oviparous (Ref. 205). Maximum total length reported 17.0 cm (Ref. 6803).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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