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African arowana
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Osteoglossiformes
Family:	Arapaimidae
Genus:	Heterotis Rüppell, 1828
Species:	H. niloticus
Binomial name
Heterotis niloticus (G. Cuvier, 1829)
Red:extant , Light red: possibly extant, Green:introduced
Synonyms
Genus Clupisudis Swainson, 1839 Helicobranchus Hyrtl, 1854 Species Clupisudis niloticus (G. Cuvier, 1829) Sudis nilotica G. Cuvier, 1829 Sudis adansonii G. Cuvier, 1829 Heterotis adansonii (G. Cuvier, 1829) Sudis niloticus Rüppell, 1829 (ambiguous) Heterotis adansoni Valenciennes, 1847 Heterotis ehrenbergii Valenciennes, 1847

The African arowana or Nile arowana (Heterotis niloticus) is a species of bonytongue. Despite being called an "arowana", the African arowana is more closely related to arapaimas, the only other members in the subfamily Arapaiminae, than the South American, Asian, and Australian arowanas in the subfamily Osteoglossinae (Arapaiminae is sometimes considered to be a separate family from Osteoglossidae). Compared to these, the African arowana has a more terminal mouth and is the only one that feeds extensively on plankton.

Description

The African arowana is a long-bodied fish with large scales, long dorsal and anal fins set far back on the body, and a rounded caudal fin. Its height is 3.5 to 5.0 times standard length. It has been reported to reach up to 1 m (3.3 ft) long and weigh up to 10.2 kg (22 lb).

This fish is gray, brown, or bronze in color. Coloration is uniform in adults, but juveniles often have dark longitudinal bands.

African arowanas have air-breathing organs on its branchiae, enabling them to survive in oxygen-depleted water. A suprabranchial organ allows it to concentrate small planktonic food particles and also has a sensory function.

Range

This species is widespread throughout Africa, where it is native to all the watersheds in Sahelo-Sudanese region, Senegal, and Gambia, as well as parts of eastern Africa. This range includes the basins of the Corubal, Volta, Ouémé, Niger, Bénoué, and Nile Rivers, as well as those of Lake Chad and Lake Turkana. It has been successfully introduced to Côte d'Ivoire, the Cross River in Nigeria, the Sanaga and Nyong Rivers in Cameroon, and the Ogooué River in Gabon, as well as the lower and middle Congo River basin, including Ubangui and Kasaï Rivers. It has also been introduced in Madagascar. In some cases, introduction is reported to have had a negative impact on the local ecology.

Human use

African arowana is used locally as a food fish and has been collected in the past for the aquarium trade. It is not aggressive like its relatives. It is aquacultured in its native range, being a very successful culture due to its tolerance for crowding and ease of feeding.

References

1. Diouf, K.; Akinyi, E.; Azeroual, A.; Entsua-Mensah, M.; Getahun, A.; Lalèyè, P.; Moelants, T. (2020). "Heterotis niloticus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T182580A134764025. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T182580A134764025.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Osteoglossidae". FishBase. July 2021 version.
3. Hilton, E. J.; Lavoué, S. (2018). "A review of the systematic biology of fossil and living bony-tongue fishes, Osteoglossomorpha (Actinopterygii: Teleostei)". Neotropical Ichthyology. 16 (3). doi:10.1590/1982-0224-20180031.
4. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Heterotis niloticus". FishBase. July 2014 version.
5. "Fisheries and Aquaculture - Global Production". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 2024-05-06.
6. Nanconnection (2003). (แอบ)คุยเรื่องปลาตู้ โครงการ 2 : ปลาอโรตัวเป็นวาน่าเลี้ยง [(Secretly) talk about the aquarium fish. Project 2: Aro fish is a Wana] (in Thai). Bangkok: SE-ED Book Center. ISBN 9789745348653.
7. Wikondi, Jeanne; Tonfack, Djouatsa Juvenal; Meutchieye, Félix; Tomedi, Tabi Minette (2022). "Aquaculture of Heterotis niloticus in Sub-Saharan Africa: Potentials and Perspectives". Genetics and Biodiversity Journal. 6: 37–44. doi:10.46325/gabj.v6i1.195. Retrieved 6 December 2022.

External links

• "Heterotis niloticus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 24 January 2006.

v t e Osteoglossomorpha
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Subclass: Neopterygii Infraclass: Teleostei Actinopterygii see Actinopterygii Neopterygii see Neopterygii Teleostei see Teleostei Osteoglossomorpha see below↓ Osteoglossomorpha
Osteoglossomorpha †Chandlerichthys †Coriops †Harenaichthys †Jinanichthys †Paralycoptera? †Tanolepis? †Tongxinichthys †Xixiaichthys †Huashiidae Huashia Kuntulunia †Lycopteridae Jiuquanichthys Kokuraichthys? Kuyangichthys Lycoptera Hiodontiformes Hiodon †Jiaohichthys †Kokuraichthys? †Plesiolycoptera †Yanbiania Osteoglossiformes †Archaeglossus †Furichthys †Joffrichthys †Kokenichthys †Shuleichthys †Tetoriichthys †Thaumaturus †Wakinoichthys †Wilsonichthys †Xixiaichthys? Pantodontidae †Capassopiscis †Cretapantodon †Palaeopantodon †Pankowskipiscis Pantodon †Petersichthys †Prognathoglossum Osteoglossidae sensu lato †Chanopsis †Chauliopareion †Singida †Phareodontinae Brychaetoides Brychaetus Cretophareodus Magnigena Monopteros Musperia Phareodus Phareodusichthys Phareoides Ridewoodichthys Taverneichthys Xosteoglossid Arapaiminae Arapaima Heterotis †Joffrichthys? †Sinoglossus? †Thrissopterus Osteoglossinae †Foreyichthys †Heterosteoglossum †Opsithrissops Osteoglossum Scleropages Notopteroidei Gymnarchus †Laeliichthys †Lopadichthys? †Ostariostoma? †Palaeonotopterus †Sinoglossus? Notopteridae Chitala Notopterus Papyrocranus Xenomystus Mormyridae Petrocephalus Mormyrinae Boulengeromyrus Brevimyrus Brienomyrus Campylomormyrus Cryptomyrus Cyphomyrus Genyomyrus Gnathonemus Heteromormyrus Hippopotamyrus Hyperopisus Isichthys Ivindomyrus Marcusenius Mormyrops Mormyrus Myomyrus Paramormyrops Pollimyrus Stomatorhinus

• IUCN Red List least concern species
• Osteoglossidae
• Fish described in 1829
• Taxa named by Georges Cuvier
• Fish of Lake Turkana
• Freshwater fish of West Africa