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Greshoff's elephantfish (Marcusenius greshoffii) — Mormyridae

Greshoff's elephantfish

Marcusenius greshoffii
Family: Mormyridae
LC · Least Concern

The Greshoff's elephantfish (Marcusenius greshoffii) is a freshwater fish of the family Mormyridae that grows up to 11 cm.

Length
10.8 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Marcusenius greshoffii is an elephantfish of the family Mormyridae found in fresh waters of the Congo basin in Central Africa. The species has an elongate, brownish body and, like all mormyrids, generates a weak electric field used to navigate murky water, detect prey and communicate with conspecifics. It is mainly active at night and feeds on insect larvae and small invertebrates from the bottom. Mormyrids are known for their relatively large brains. The species is of little economic value and only locally eaten. It is harmless to people.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Greshoff's elephantfish?

The Greshoff's elephantfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Greshoff's elephantfish live?

The Greshoff's elephantfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Greshoff's elephantfish get?

The Greshoff's elephantfish grows to a maximum of about 11 cm.

Is the Greshoff's elephantfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Greshoff's elephantfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Greshoff's elephantfish edible?

The Greshoff's elephantfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Greshoffs olifantsnuitvis inferred
English name
Greshoff's elephantfish inferred
Scientific name
Marcusenius greshoffii
Family
Mormyridae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.8 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked sourced
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous verified
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Marcusenius

More from the family Mormyridae

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