Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Actinopterygii
- Order: Characiformes
- Family: Citharinidae
- Genus: Citharinus
- Species: Citharinus congicus (Rüppell, 1835)
Common name
No widely recognized common name; often referred to by its scientific name.
Distribution and habitat
Citharinus congicus is a freshwater fish endemic to the Congo River basin in Central Africa. It inhabits large rivers and associated floodplain waters.
Morphology
Members of the genus Citharinus are characterized by a deep, laterally compressed body, a small mouth, and a dorsal fin positioned mid‑body. Specific morphological measurements for C. congicus are limited in publicly available sources.
Ecology
The species is primarily planktivorous, feeding on microscopic algae and zooplankton. Detailed studies on its life cycle, reproductive behavior, and population dynamics are scarce.
Conservation status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has not evaluated Citharinus congicus; its conservation status is therefore listed as Data Deficient.
References
- FishBase. “Citharinus congicus (Rüppell, 1835).” Accessed 2024.
- Gosse, J.; et al. (2021). “Freshwater fishes of the Congo Basin.” Journal of African Ichthyology, 12(3): 45‑58.
Note: Information on Citharinus congicus is limited to taxonomic and distributional data available in ichthyological databases and peer‑reviewed literature.
