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Lake Tumba dwarf sprat (Nannothrissa parva) — Clupeidae

Lake Tumba dwarf sprat

Nannothrissa parva
Family: Clupeidae
LC · Least Concern

The Lake Tumba dwarf sprat (Nannothrissa parva) is a freshwater fish of the family Clupeidae that grows up to 4 cm.

Length
4.2 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Large groups
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The dwarf sprat is a very small freshwater herring-like fish (Clupeidae) from the Congo basin in Central Africa. The species grows to only a few centimetres and has a slender, silvery body. It occurs in rivers and lakes, in both flowing and still water, often in huge schools. With its fine gill rakers it filters small zooplankton from the water. It is an important prey fish for larger fishes and birds. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Lake Tumba dwarf sprat?

The Lake Tumba dwarf sprat has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Lake Tumba dwarf sprat live?

The Lake Tumba dwarf sprat lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Lake Tumba dwarf sprat get?

The Lake Tumba dwarf sprat grows to a maximum of about 4 cm.

Is the Lake Tumba dwarf sprat dangerous to humans?

No, the Lake Tumba dwarf sprat is harmless to humans.

Is the Lake Tumba dwarf sprat edible?

The Lake Tumba dwarf sprat is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Dwergsprot sourced
English name
Lake Tumba dwarf sprat verified
Scientific name
Nannothrissa parva
Family
Clupeidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
4.2 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Large groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Nannothrissa

More from the family Clupeidae

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