Description:
Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total):
6-7; Anal spines: 3-4; Anal soft rays: 4 - 7; Vertebrae:
32 - 35. It has the presence of a free orbital margin,
mandibular sensory canal pores on the lower lip/oral
disc, a ventral process on the mesethmoid for articulation
with premaxillae, a vertically-oriented, laminar extension
of bone at the anterolateral edge of the lateral ethmoid
that wraps around the extensor tentaculi muscle, 3
or more straight, transverse rows of mandibular teeth,
a short, block-like autopalatine and the parapophyses
of vertebrae 3, 4, and 5 of the Weberian apparatus
are clearly separate from each other. Body compressed
posteriorly and somewhat depressed anteriorly. Closer
analysis of the external and internal morphology of
Atopodontus adriaensi in a morphological
study of the Mochokidae revealed that this new species
was distinct from Chiloglanis, and was in
fact the sister group to both Atopochilus
and Euchilichthys (Vigliotta, 2008). Furthermore,
an unpublished analysis of DNA sequence data also
supports this phylogenetic position for Atopodontus
(J. Sullivan Pers. comm.). Remarks:
At present Atopodontus is monotypic, but
we do note that the single specimen known from the
Nyanga River in southern Gabon (MRAC P179133) differs
in several features from all the other specimens from
the Ogooué basin (Friel, J.P. and T.R. Vigliotta,
2008).
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
None
Family:
Mochokidae
Distribution:
Africa:
From rapids in the Ivindo, Okano, Ngounié,
and Nyanga Rivers of Gabon.
Size:
10.0cm. (4ins)
Temp:
20-26°C (67-79°F)
p.H.
6.5-7.2.
Reference:
Friel, J.P. and T.R.
Vigliotta, 2008.
Atopodontus adriaensi, a new genus and species of
African suckermouth catfish from the Ogooué
and Nyanga River systems of Gabon (Siluriformes: Mochokidae).
Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 157(1):13-23. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors.
2017. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
www.fishbase.org, ( 06/2017 ). J. Sullivan.
Pers. comm.
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