▁the ▁African ▁a row ana ▁has ▁a ▁more ▁terminal ▁mouth ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁one ▁that ▁fe eds ▁extens ively ▁on ▁pl ank ton . ▁ ▁Description ▁The ▁African ▁a row ana ▁is ▁a ▁long - b od ied ▁fish ▁with ▁large ▁scales , ▁long ▁d ors al ▁and ▁anal ▁fins ▁set ▁far ▁back ▁on ▁the ▁body , ▁and ▁a ▁rounded ▁ca ud al ▁fin . ▁Its ▁height ▁is ▁ 3 . 5 ▁to ▁ 5 . 0 ▁times ▁standard ▁length . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁reported ▁to ▁reach ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁long ▁and ▁we igh ▁up ▁to ▁. ▁ ▁This ▁fish ▁is ▁gray , ▁brown , ▁or ▁bronze ▁in ▁color . ▁Color ation ▁is ▁uniform ▁in ▁adult s , ▁but ▁ju ven iles ▁often ▁have ▁dark ▁longitud inal ▁bands . ▁ ▁African ▁a row anas ▁have ▁air - bre ath ing ▁org ans ▁on ▁its ▁branch iae , ▁en abling ▁them ▁to ▁surv ive ▁in ▁o xygen - de ple ted ▁water . ▁A ▁sup rab ranch ial ▁organ ▁allows ▁it ▁to ▁concent rate ▁small ▁pl ank ton ic ▁food ▁particles ▁and ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁sens ory ▁function . ▁ ▁Range ▁This ▁species ▁is ▁w ides p read ▁throughout ▁Africa , ▁where ▁it ▁is ▁native ▁to ▁all ▁the ▁waters h eds ▁in ▁Sah elo - S ud an ese ▁region , ▁Sen eg al , ▁and ▁G amb ia , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁parts ▁of ▁eastern ▁Africa . ▁This ▁range ▁includes ▁the ▁bas ins ▁of ▁the ▁Cor ub al , ▁Vol ta ,