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Scientific Name Amphilius platychir  (Günther, 1864)
Common Name Mountain Barbel
Type Locality Sierra Leone.
Synonym(s) Amphilius grammatophorus, Pimelodus platychir
Pronunciation ahm FILL ee us
Etymology Amphilius: Not clear; probably from the Greek amphi, meaning both sides and leios, meaning smooth. 
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 167mm or 6.6" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification Most amphiliid species are found in fast-flowing water of clear, rocky streams at high elevations or rapids of large lowland rivers (Berra 2001; Roberts 2003).basins (Seegers et al. 2003). Species of Amphilius are adapted for fast flow and rocky habitats (Skelton 1986). Morphological adaptations for these habitats include expanded pectoral and pelvic fins with a thickened first ray, depressed body, dorsally directed eyes and reduced swim bladder (Skelton 1986; Walsh et al. 2000). The large pelvic fins form, in conjunction with the body, a feeble sucking disc that enables the fish to cling to rocks (Jackson 1961b).
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Africa: Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d"Ivoire. Reports from Ghana and Tanzania need confirmation. Known from the Senegal, Niger, Gambia, Corubal, Konkouré and Little Scarcies Rivers. Reported from Luongo River, Congo system, Zambia.
African Waters, Sénégal (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Nigeria Waters, Niger (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Geba, Corubal (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Gambia (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Konkouré (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Little Scarcies (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Congo, Luongo (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2019.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Feeding The diet of Amphilius species has been reported to consist predominantly of benthic aquatic insects (Marriott et al. 1997; Skelton 2001; Walsh et al. 2000). User data.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum v. 5, pp 134.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2020 Sep 23 03:08 (species record created: 2004 Nov 26 00:00)