Brycinus leuciscus (Günther 1867)

Diagnosis: parietal fontanel always present, also in adults, open; equal sized jaws; 5.5 scales above lateral line; 26-31 lateral line scales; 13-17 anal fin branched rays; 6/8 premaxillary teeth; 13-17 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; gill rakers short (Ref. 2880, 81279).Description: sexual dimorphism in males with convex anal fin, females and juveniles with straight or concave anal fin; dorsal-fin origin at about the same level as pelvic-fin insertion; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 13-17 branched rays; six premaxillary teeth aligned in single row (Ref. 2880, 81279). Colouration: humeral spot black; claviform mark on caudal peduncle extending to fork of caudal fin black; back grey-green, sides silvery and ventral portion white; all fins yellow; zone above eye marked with yellow; dark longitudinal band below lateral line, better visible in formalin-preserved specimens (Ref. 2880, 81279).

Potamodromous. Migrating within streams, migratory in rivers, e.g. Saliminus, Moxostoma, Labeo. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Anal spines: 0; Analsoft rays: 16 - 20

Omnivorous: prefers insects and macrophytes.

Affinities: B. nurse, B. longipinnis and B. luteus.

fisheries: of no interest