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Birger Kamprath (2) Dave Rinaldo (1)

This is a an attractive species when young but will gradually turn to a brown body colouration with dark spots when going into adulthood. The dorsal fin and pattern when young is reminiscent of S. eupterus. Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Anal spines: 0. Diagnosis: gill slits not extending ventrally beyond pectoral-fin insertions; post-orbital length at least 60% of snout length; maxillary barbels unbranched, longer than head, without tubercles and bordered by a black basal membrane; outer mandibular barbels with short and simple ramifications; branches of inner mandibular barbels subdivided/dichotomous but not tuberculate; mandibular teeth numbering 49-82 (64 in the lectotype); denticulations of pectoral-fin spines stronger on inner than on outer margin; dorsal-fin spine smooth anteriorly; only first branched dorsal-fin ray prolonged into a filament; humeral process triangular and granulose, deep, not keeled ventrally; adipose fin normally developed, truncate posteriorly and distinctly separated from rayed dorsal fin; eyes large. Colouration: Body entirely brownish (including ventral areas); numerous small black spots, particularly on head, but sometimes also on sides and fins. Aquarium Care: Although this is a fairly large species when adult, no problems were reported on its behaviour in the aquarium. Etymology: In honour of explorer William John Ansorge (1850-1913), who collected type.

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Mochokidae

Africa: Geba River basin, Guinnea-Bissau; and Taja River basin, Sierra Leone. Type locality: Geba and Culufi Rivers, Portuguese Guinea [restricted to Geba River, by lectotype designation].

22.5cm. (8¾ins)

23-26°C (73-78°F)

6.5-7.5.

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Paugy, D. and T.R. Roberts, 2003. Mochokidae. p. 195-268 In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douce et saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, Tome 2. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 40. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgique, Museum National d'Histoire Naturalle, Paris, France and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France. 815 p.
Seegers, L. 2008 The catfishes of Africa. A handbook for identification and maintenance. Aqualog Verlag A.C.S. GmbH, Germany. 604 p.