Hepsetus odoe
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| Kafue Pike | ||||||||||||||||
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| Hepsetus odoe Bloch, 1974 |
The Hepsetus odoe, also known as the African pike or Kafue pike, is a predatory fish belonging to the Family Hepsetidae.
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[edit] Anatomy and Morphology
It is an elongate fish with a pike-like body. This species can reach up to about 65 cm SL.
[edit] Distribution
The Kafue pike inhabits tropical, freshwater lakes, coastal rivers, and swamps in Africa. It is widespread throughout central and west Africa, but is absent from the Nile river.
[edit] Ecology and Life History
[edit] Habitat
The species prefers quiet and deep water.
[edit] Life History
This fish is relatively short-lived and may only live about five years.
Spawning occurs in the summer months. It is oviparous, and the eggs are laid in a nest of floating foam, which will be guarded. Fry and juveniles will inhabit well-vegetated marginal habitats.
[edit] Importance to humans
The Kafue pike is a gamefish. It also, on occasion, found as an aquarium fish, though its large size and piscivorous nature make it unsuitable for most aquarists.
[edit] Bibliography
- "Hepsetidae". FishBase. Ed. Rainer Froese and Daniel Pauly. Feb 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
- "Hepsetus odoe". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. Feb 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
- Nelson, Joseph S. (2006). Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0471250317
[edit] References
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