Page:Niger Delta Ecosystems- the ERA Handbook, 1998.djvu/105

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Estuaries and Inshore Waters

9.3.4 FISH

Fish are the dominant vertebrate class and again express the great bio-diversity, bioactivity and biomass of the Niger Delta as compared to temperate waters.

B.S. Moses describes 72 species of saltwater fish in Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers States.

The following 34 species have been documented as being caught in the Inshore waters of the Niger Delta.

FAMILY SPECIES COMMON NAME  
CLUPEIDAE Sardinella maderensis Sardine
  Ilisha africana Herring of Bonga
  Ethmalosa fimbriata Bonga
  Pellonula leonensis Guinean sprat
CHARACIDAE Citharinus latus
HEPSETIDAE Hepsetus odoe
SCHILBEIDAE Schilbe mystus
  Eutropius melanopterus
ARIIDAE Arius gigas Catfish
CYPRINODONTIDAE Aaplocheilichthys spilauchen
MUGILIDAE Mugil cephalus Mullet
  Mugil babensis Mullet
  Liza falcipinniss Mullet
  Liza grandisquamis Mullet
POLYNEMIDAE Galeoides decadactylus
SERRANDIDAE Epinephelus aeneus
CARANGIDAE Caranx hippos
  Chloroscombrus chysurus
  Hemicaranx bicolar
  Lichia amia
  Selene dorsalis
  Trachinotus teraia
LUTJANIDAE Lutjanus agennes Snapper
  Lutjanus dentatus Snapper
SCIANIDAE Pseudotolithus elongatus Croaker
CICHLIDAE Tilapia guneiensis
  Sarotherodon melanotheron
  Hemichromis fasciatus
SCOMBRIDAE Scomberomoorus tritor Mackerel
TRICHIURIDAE Trichiurus lepterus Ribbon fish
PERIOPHTHALAMIDAE Periophthalmus koelreuteri Mudskipper

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