Sicyopterus lagocephalus (Pallas 1770)

Usually 11 unsegmented rays in second dorsal fin. Pectoral rays usually 19. Predorsal midline usually with 13-16 cycloid scales, anterior scales smaller than those posteriorly. Scales on flanks same size as those on caudal peduncle. Belly always with fairly large cycloid scales, about the same size as those on the caudal peduncle. Caudal fin with blackish or dusky horseshoe-shaped band close to margin, medial rays blackish or dusky (Ref. 37578).

Females when ready to spawn wriggles under a loosely set stone. The eggs are spread into a flat mass as the fish holds fast to the under surface of a stone. The eggs are fastened to the stones by the gelatinous threads that cover them (Ref. 110258). The male ejects his milt on the mass of eggs (Ref. 110258).Spawning occurs in freshwater afterwhich eggs and larvae are washed down by the river current into the sea and goes back up the river after a month or so (Ref. 110258). The embryo development occurs in freshwater and the larvae should migrate to saltwater a few days following hatching. The larvae are carried by current to the sea where they grow up to the juvenile stage ("bichique"). At this stage the alevins get to the rivers and start going upstream during the new moon. They can go up to waterfalls higher than 10 meters with the help of their sucker-disc, that they can colonize waters up to 800m altitude (Ref. 48660).

Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).

Dorsal spines (total): 6 - 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 10

Inhabits deep, clear, cool pools with flowing water and a rocky substrate. It occurs mainly in the faster flowing parts of streams. Young feeds on fly larvae and other small, rock clinging insects. Adult grazes on algae. Possibly amphidromous (Ref. 26364).

Adults inhabit fast-flowing sections of clear rainforest streams over rocky bottoms (Ref. 44894). Hatching and larval stage occur at sea, postlarval stage to adult in freshwater (Ref. 4343, 79840). Commercial in Reunion, where they are caught during the few days when they return from sea to enter the rivers (Doug Fenner, pers. comm., 2002, Ref. 79840). Smallest gravid female reported 5.03 cm SL (Ref. 37578).

fisheries: commercial