SANBI

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

This species has a wide distribution, with no known major widespread threats. It has been assessed regionally as Least Concern for central, eastern, southern and western Africa as well as globally. In South Africa this species has an extent of occurrence of 344,772 km² and an area of occupancy of 304 km². As it is widespread in its global distribution and there are no major threats, it is not threatened with extinction at present and it is assessed as Least Concern nationally as well.

Distribution

In southern Africa the Spot-tail Robber (Brycinus imberi) is widely distributed in east coast rivers, from the Phongolo River System in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa to the Limpopo System and north into Tanzania. It is, however, not present in the upper Zambezi systems. It is widespread throughout the Congo basin and also widespread in nearly almost all of Sahelian Africa, as well as in western Africa where it is found from the Mono in the east, to the Nipoué (Cess) in the west. In eastern Africa, it is present in streams and rivers affluent to Lake Tanganyika, including Malagarasi and Rusizi rivers, as well as Lake Rukwa, Rufiji and Ruvuma Rivers, and Lake Malawi and its catchment area. It is also found in the Shire River and its tributaries, and Lakes Chiuta and Chilwa (Paugy 1984).

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

In South Africa a reduction in habitat quality in rivers north and east of Johannesburg would seem to have caused declines. These perceived declines have, however, not been investigated or accurately determined and they do not affect the entire population. It is a component of artisanal fisheries catches and in suitable open water habitats it is usually common. Some populations appear to have declined despite the fact that it supports a subsistence fishery in LakeRukwa (Tweddle pers. comm. 2007).

Threats

This species faces different threats in different regions. In Southern Africa there are no major threats known; however in South Africa specifically, there has been some reduction in habitat quality due to mining and urban pollution. Upper reaches of the Limpopo River System have recently (last 20 years) experienced declines in river condition due to over-abstraction of water and low water quality (Roger Bills pers. comm. 2017). In Western Africa, a likely threat is dam construction, which may prevent spawning migratory runs. In Central Africa, it is commercially collected as an aquarium fish. In Eastern Africa, water turbidity and siltation as a consequence of erosion and farming extension in the watersheds pose a threat to this species.

Uses and trade

This species is harvested for human consumption for subsistence uses.

Conservation

More research is needed into the threats for this species, as well as corridors to allow spawning migratory runs.

References

[@article{18475,
 author = {Skelton, P.H.},
 title = {A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa},
 year = {2001}
}
,@book{63287,
 address = {Grahamstown},
 author = {Marshall, B. },
 publisher = {South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity},
 title = {The fishes of Zimbabwe and their biology},
 year = {2011}
}
,@article{181632,
 author = {Konings, A.},
 title = {<i>Konings's Book of Cichlids and All the Other Fishes of Lake Malawi</i>},
 year = {1990}
}
,@techreport{60376,
 address = {Rome},
 author = {Eccles, D.H},
 institution = {Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations},
 title = {FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Field guide to the freshwater fishes of Tanzania},
 year = {1992}
}
,@inbook{61269,
 author = {},
 booktitle = {Cyprinidae},
 editor = {Lévêque, C. and Daget, J.},
 pages = {217–342},
 publisher = {ORSTOM, Paris, France and MRAC, Tervuren, Belgium},
 title = {Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of Africa (CLOFFA I)},
 year = {1984}
}
,@electronic{181744,
 address = {http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp},
 author = {Eschmeyer, W.N., Fricke, R. and Van der Laan, R. (eds)},
 publisher = {California Academy of Sciences},
 title = {Catalog of Fishes: genera, species, references. Updated 2 August 2016},
 year = {2016}
}
,@book{183002,
 address = {Harare, Zimbabwe},
 author = {Bell-Cross, G. & Minshull, J.L. },
 title = {The fishes of Zimbabwe, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe},
 year = {1987}
}
,]

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Red List of South African Species