Biologie de la reproduction d'un poisson chat Africain Euchilichthys guentheri (Schilthuis, 1891) (Mochokidae, Siluriformes) au Pool Malebo, Fleuve Congo (République Démocratique du Congo)

Reproductive Biology of the African Catfish Euchilichthys guentheri (Schilthius, 1891) (Mochokidae, Siluriformes) of Malebo Pool, Congo River (Democratic Republic of Congo). In the Malebo Pool of the Congo River in DRC, Euchilichthys guentheri (Schilthuis, 1891) a highly consumed fish during the dry season, undergoes a strong pressure of fishing whereas one does not have knowledge on his reproductive biology. Reproductive parameters of E. guentheri were determined to ensure rational and sustainable management of the resource at Malebo Pool. Fish were collected monthly between January and December 2009, and subsequently from February to December 2011. The whole sample consisted of 248 specimens of which 35 immature, 118 females and 95 males were examined. The observed sex-ratio was balanced between males and females (1:0.99; χ2=12; p>0.05). The standard length at first sexual maturity was 54.20 cm for males, and 54.49 cm for females. The spawning period of E. guentheri was established by analyzing the temporal evolution in the monthly variations of the gonado-somatic index (GSI). E. guentheri in Malebo Pool spawns in the end of the dry season but the main breeding season was August and September. The ripe ovaries contained 1953 to 7256 eggs. The relative fecundity was 1745±582 eggs.kg-1 of females. The mean oocyte diameter was 2.12±0.39 mm at spawning. These reproduction characteristics of E. guentheri make it possible to classify this fish among the species with big eggs and low fecundity