Mbaraga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mbaraga |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acapoeta
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| Species: |
tanganicae
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| Synonyms | |
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The mbaraga (scientific name: Acapoeta tanganicae) is a type of ray-finned fish. It belongs to the Cyprinidae family, which includes carps and minnows. This fish is the only known species in its group, called Acapoeta. Scientists are still working to figure out its exact place in the large Cyprinidae family tree.
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Where the Mbaraga Lives
The mbaraga fish is found only in Lake Tanganyika and the Rusizi River. These places are located in countries like Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Mbaraga's Discovery in Lake Rukwa
In 2012, some mbaraga fish were also found in the area around Lake Rukwa. This discovery made scientists think that Lake Tanganyika and Lake Rukwa might have been connected a long time ago. It's likely that the fish were always there but were just hard to find because there weren't many of them.
What Kind of Home Does Mbaraga Like?
Mbaraga fish like to live in rivers and freshwater lakes. They also enjoy inland deltas, which are areas where rivers spread out before entering a larger body of water. They prefer places with rocky bottoms.
What the Mbaraga Eats
The mbaraga fish is a bottom feeder. It eats a special kind of food called aufwuchs. This is a mix of tiny plants and animals that grow on surfaces underwater. The mbaraga also finds other tasty things on rocky river and lake beds. These include insects, tiny crustaceans called ostracods, diatoms (a type of algae), and worms.
Threats to the Mbaraga Fish
The mbaraga fish faces some challenges that could harm its population.
Habitat Loss from Water Changes
One big threat is the loss of its natural home. When forests are cut down near the lake's rivers, more dirt and mud wash into the water. This makes the water cloudy, which is called increased turbidity. Cloudy water makes it harder for the fish to live and find food.
Is Overfishing a Problem?
Another possible threat is too much fishing. However, the mbaraga fish is still quite common. It can even be seen swimming in large groups called shoals. There isn't enough information right now to say for sure if fishing is causing the number of mbaraga fish to go down.
Mbaraga's Unique Features
The mbaraga fish can grow to be quite large, up to about 60 centimeters (about 2 feet) long. It has some special features that help scientists tell it apart from other similar fish in Africa.
How to Identify a Mbaraga
One unique feature is its lower lip, which has a hard, horny edge. The mbaraga also has more scales along its lateral line than other similar fish. The lateral line is a special sensory organ that helps fish detect movement and pressure changes in the water. Mbaraga fish have 62 to 72 lateral line scales, while other similar fish like Labeobarbus species only have 21 to 44.
