See text The Kneriidae are a small family of freshwater gonorhynchiform fishes native to sub-Saharan Africa.

The species in this family typically live in fast-flowing streams, often in highlands, and are small fish, no more than 15 cm (5.9 in) in length.

The second subfamily Phractolaeminae contains only a single species, which typically inhabits stagnant or slow-moving waters and reaches up to 25 cm (9.8 in) in length.

Some species are sexually dimorphic, with the male possessing a rosette on the gill covers that is absent in the females.

[4][5] In addition, the family includes the genus Mahengichthys, which only is known from Eocene fossil remains and is closer to Kneriinae than Phractolaemidae.