Parachanna africana

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African snakehead
Parachanna Africana, after Boulenger, 1916
Parachanna Africana, after Boulenger, 1916
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Channidae
Genus: Parachanna
Species: P. africana
Binomial name
Parachanna africana
(Steindachner, 1879)

Parachanna africana, commonly known as the African snakehead or Niger snakehead, is a species of fish from west-central Africa. Alternative scientific names include Channa africanus (Steindachner, 1879) and Parophiocephalus africanus (Steindachner, 1879). Little is published on its biology. Limited primarily to coastal sections of rivers, it is thought to be a nest-building, thrust predator like other Channidae.[1]

Distribution of Parachanna africana. Source: USGS 2004
Distribution of Parachanna africana. Source: USGS 2004[1]

Its native range is southern Benin to southern Nigeria, primarily the Oueme River and the basin of the Niger River.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Courtenay, Jr., Walter R. and James D. Williams. Parachanna africana USGS Circular 1251: Snakeheads (Pisces, Chinnidae) - A Biological Synopsis and Risk Assessment. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. 2004-04-01. Retrieved 2007-07-15.

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