Species
Citharinus latus
Citharinus latusAlso known as Lutefish, Broad Citharine, Fat Lutefish
Deep-bodied and laterally compressed, these silvery characiforms glide through major river channels and floodplain lakes across tropical Africa. Schools undertake seasonal breeding migrations into inundated floodplains during high-water pulses, taking advantage of rich submerged nursery habitats. Their delicate, downturned mouths are specialized for browsing organic detritus and scraping microscopic algal films off muddy riverbeds.
FreshwaterRiverineHerbivorous
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyFilamentous Algae, Organic Detritus, Benthic Diatoms
Predators
- Nile Perch
- Tigerfish
- Nile Crocodile
ThreatsOverfishing from artisanal gillnetting and dam development altering flood pulses
HabitatsMajor tropical rivers, open floodplains, and shallow riverine lakes
Life span5–10 years
Classification
- FamilyCitharinidae
- SpeciesCitharinus latus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation Timing: Scan quiet side channels and seasonal floodpools during morning hours when feeding schools gather.
- Handling Precaution: Wet hands before handling any netted specimen to avoid stripping its delicate protective slime layer.
Predator (c) Daiju Azuma, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Lucy Keith-Diagne, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Lucy Keith-Diagne · cc-by
Image unavailableFamily Relative
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