Home · Clupeidae · Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline
Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline (Potamothrissa acutirostris) — Clupeidae

Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline

Potamothrissa acutirostris
Family: Clupeidae
LC · Least Concern

The Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline (Potamothrissa acutirostris) is a freshwater fish of the family Clupeidae that grows up to 7 cm.

Length
7 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Potamothrissa acutirostris is a small freshwater herring (family Clupeidae) of the Congo basin in Central Africa. The species reaches about 7 cm and has a slender, laterally compressed, silvery body with a pointed snout and a saw-toothed belly edge. It occurs in rivers and lakes, apparently in both running and still water, but does not swim up the smaller headstreams. Its diet consists of small zooplankton and small invertebrates. The species lives in schools and is caught locally in subsistence fisheries. It is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline?

The Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline live?

The Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline get?

The Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline grows to a maximum of about 7 cm.

Is the Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline dangerous to humans?

No, the Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline is harmless to humans.

Is the Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline edible?

The Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline is rarely eaten.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Spitssnuit-zoetwaterharing sourced
English name
Sharpnosed sawtooth pellonuline verified
Scientific name
Potamothrissa acutirostris
Family
Clupeidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
7.0 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
Schooling inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal 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 Potamothrissa

More from the family Clupeidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →