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Estuaries and Inshore Waters
9.3.4 FISH
Fish are the dominant vertebrate class and again express the great bio-diversity, bioactivity and biomass of the Niger Delta as compared to temperate waters.
B.S. Moses describes 72 species of saltwater fish in Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers States.
The following 34 species have been documented as being caught in the Inshore waters of the Niger Delta.
| FAMILY | SPECIES | COMMON NAME |
| CLUPEIDAE | Sardinella maderensis | Sardine |
| Ilisha africana | Herring of Bonga | |
| Ethmalosa fimbriata | Bonga | |
| Pellonula leonensis | Guinean sprat | |
| CHARACIDAE | Citharinus latus | |
| HEPSETIDAE | Hepsetus odoe | |
| SCHILBEIDAE | Schilbe mystus | |
| Eutropius melanopterus | ||
| ARIIDAE | Arius gigas | Catfish |
| CYPRINODONTIDAE | Aaplocheilichthys spilauchen | |
| MUGILIDAE | Mugil cephalus | Mullet |
| Mugil babensis | Mullet | |
| Liza falcipinniss | Mullet | |
| Liza grandisquamis | Mullet | |
| POLYNEMIDAE | Galeoides decadactylus | |
| SERRANDIDAE | Epinephelus aeneus | |
| CARANGIDAE | Caranx hippos | |
| Chloroscombrus chysurus | ||
| Hemicaranx bicolar | ||
| Lichia amia | ||
| Selene dorsalis | ||
| Trachinotus teraia | ||
| LUTJANIDAE | Lutjanus agennes | Snapper |
| Lutjanus dentatus | Snapper | |
| SCIANIDAE | Pseudotolithus elongatus | Croaker |
| CICHLIDAE | Tilapia guneiensis | |
| Sarotherodon melanotheron | ||
| Hemichromis fasciatus | ||
| SCOMBRIDAE | Scomberomoorus tritor | Mackerel |
| TRICHIURIDAE | Trichiurus lepterus | Ribbon fish |
| PERIOPHTHALAMIDAE | Periophthalmus koelreuteri | Mudskipper |
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