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Madagascar sleeper (Ratsirakia legendrei) — Eleotridae

Madagascar sleeper

Ratsirakia legendrei
Family: Eleotridae
DD · Data Deficient

The Madagascar sleeper (Ratsirakia legendrei) is a freshwater fish of the family Eleotridae that grows up to 17 cm.

Length
17 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The Madagascar sleeper is a sleeper (Eleotridae) endemic to Madagascar. The species has a stocky, dark-mottled body with a flattened head. Unlike many related gobies it lives strictly in fresh water, in the highlands and the eastern mountain versant of the island. It lives bottom-bound in streams and rivers and is an ambush hunter that takes small invertebrates and small fishes. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Madagascar sleeper?

The Madagascar sleeper has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Madagascar sleeper live?

The Madagascar sleeper lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Madagascar sleeper get?

The Madagascar sleeper grows to a maximum of about 17 cm.

Is the Madagascar sleeper dangerous to humans?

No, the Madagascar sleeper is harmless to humans.

Is the Madagascar sleeper edible?

The Madagascar sleeper is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Madagaskar-slaapgrondel sourced
English name
Madagascar sleeper sourced
Scientific name
Ratsirakia legendrei
Family
Eleotridae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
17.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

More from the family Eleotridae

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