Heterotis niloticus (Cuvier)

Oladipo, Segun Olayinka, Everett, Amaya, Atofarati, Olabisi Tawakalit, Smith, Kennedy K., Nneji, Ifeanyi C., Adelakun, Kehinde Moruf & Nneji, Lotanna Micah, 2025, An updated ichthyofaunal checklist for the Nigerian Lagos Lagoon with notes on nomenclatural changes and the conservation status of species, Zootaxa 5646 (1), pp. 38-62 : 52

Heterotis niloticus (Cuvier) ;

African Bonytongue or African/Nile arowana ( Figure 2H )

Remarks: Heterotis niloticus , the sole species in its genus, is native to a wide range of African river basins, including the Sahelo-Sudanese region and the basins of the Senegal, Gambia, Corubal, Volta, Ouémé, Niger, Bénoué, Chad, and Nile rivers, as well as Lake Turkana. During our survey, this species was rarely encountered in the Badagry region and occasionally observed in the Ikorodu axis of NLL. Heterotis niloticus is distinguished by its elongated dorsal and anal fins, which are positioned posteriorly and extend close to the small, rounded caudal fin. The species exhibits a uniform coloration, ranging from grey to brown or bronze. Other synonyms for this species include Clupisudis niloticus (Cuvier) , Heterotis adansonii (Cuvier) , Heterotis ehrenbergii (Valenciennes) , Heterotis nilotica (Cuvier) , Sudis adansonii (Cuvier) , Sudis nilotica (Cuvier) and Sudis niloticus (Cuvier) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Representative pictures (A–L) of some newly collected fish species from the Nigerian Lagos Lagoon (A) Fontitrygon margaritella (Compagno & Roberts); (B) Strongylura senegalensis (Valenciennes); (C) Caranx fischeri (Smith- Vaniz & Carpenter); (D) Chloroscombrus chrysurus (Linnaeus); (E) Selene dorsalis (Gill); (F) Trachinotus falcatus (Linnaeus); (G) Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus); (H) Heterotis niloticus (Cuvier); (I) Marcusenius brucii (Boulenger); (J) Coptodon zillii (Gervais); (K) Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus); and (L) Citharinus citharus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire). Photo credit and Identification: Dr. S.O. Oladipo.