Brienomyrus

Narrow Nilhecht ( Brienomyrus longianalis )

Brienomyrus is a genus of African freshwater fish from the family of mormyrids ( Mormyridae ). The genus is widely distributed in Africa and is in West Africa from Senegal to the Congo Basin and the White Nile before.

Features

Brienomyrus species are 7.7 to 16 inches long. Your body is flattened elongated and laterally. The body height is 15 to 24% of standard length. Dorsal and ventral lines are parallel over a large part of the body length. Dorsal and anal fin sitting in the rear half of the body, the anal fin is longer than the dorsal fin. The anal fin begins in front of the dorsal fin base and ends behind the dorsal fin end. The long anal fin of Brienomyrus is the clearest differentiator for similar genus Paramormyrops. The head makes up 15 to 22 % of standard length. The muzzle is not tubular, but rounded. The mouth is terminal or below constantly and staffed with five double-headed or indented teeth in the upper jaw and six just such teeth in the lower jaw. Like all mormyrids are Brienomyrus species for electric communication and electrical orientation capable. The " chin " is equipped with electric receptors, but does not face. The nostrils are clearly apart midway between eyes and tip of the snout. The lateral ethmoid is reduced or absent. Around the caudal peduncle one counts 12 scales. The fish are inconspicuous, usually colored monochrome greyish or brownish.

Species

The number of species identified to genus Brienomyrus varies depending on the source. According to the current diagnosis of the genus by Stiassny, Teugels & Hopkins belong to only two species of the genus.

• Narrow-headed Nilhecht ( Brienomyrus brachyistius ) ( Gill, 1862)
• Narrow Nilhecht ( Brienomyrus longianalis ) ( Boulenger, 1901)

At issue are:

• Brienomyrus niger ( Günther, 1866)
• Brienomyrus sphekodes ( Sauvage, 1879)
• Brienomyrus tavernei Poll, 1972