Vundu
| Vundu Temporal range: Lower Pliocene - Present
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Clariidae |
| Genus: | Heterobranchus |
| Species: | H. longifilis
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| Binomial name | |
| Heterobranchus longifilis Valenciennes, 1840[2]
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The vundu (Heterobranchus longifilis) is a species of large airbreathing catfish found widely in rivers and other freshwater habitats of sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the Nile.[1] It is also called the sampa, cur, lenda, or certa.[3]
Description
The vundu is the largest true
In
Habitat and Range
The vundu is found widely in rivers and other freshwater habitats of
The vundu is generally uncommon, but it is not considered threatened despite having declined locally.[1] Most active at night, it feeds on any available food, including invertebrates and insects when small, then fish and other small vertebrates when large. It scavenges off large carcasses and offal from riverside villages. It can live for 12 or more years.[2] The vundu catfish can survive out of water for extensive periods of time.[4]
Due to impaired vision, they rely on vibrations and smells in search of food. They love to remain in deep water for eating any available food they need.[6]
The vundu eating habits affect many aspects of their lives; their growth, feeding efficiency, and body mineral composition. If they are raised in captivity and fed a soy based or cotton based meal their growth will reduce significantly. Changing the vundu diets partially is okay, but changing them completely is detrimental to an extent because of the lack of protein they receive in a given meal.[7]
References
- ^ . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2010). "Heterobranchus longifilis" in FishBase. May 2010 version.
- ^ "Animal.discovery.com". Archived from the original on 7 May 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- ^ a b "Catfish1.com". Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- ^ Roosendaal, B.J. "African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)". Fleuren & Nooijen. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- ^ Shorowarthy, Shahab Uddin (2022-07-25). "Vundu Catfish: A Monster of The African River". nehrin.com. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
- ISSN 1353-5773.
Further reading
- Toko, Imorou (1 2); Fiogbe, Emile D., Koukpode, Bruno, Kestemont, Patrick (2007). Rearing of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and vundu catfish (Heterobranchus longifilis) in traditional fish ponds (whedos) : Effect of stocking density on growth, production and body composition. ISSN 0044-8486. CODEN AQCLAL. 2007, vol. 262, no. 1, pp. 65–72.
- Vundu in aquaculture