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Synodontis arnoulti Roman, 1966

Image contributors to this species:

Frants Lehmann (1 Stamp)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Never been exported to the hobby as only the original holotype is known. The image in the stamp shows damage to the adipose and dorsal fins. Description: This is a small species with the maxillary barbels reaching back past the middle of the body. The humeral process is very pointed. It possess a large dorsal and adipose fin with the caudal fin deeply forked and the lobes pointed. 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 very well developed, about twice as long as head, reaching pelvic fins, unbranched and without tubercles or distinct basal membrane; mandibular barbels with long, simple and slender ramifications: mandibular teeth poorly developed, numbering 24-28 (28 in the holotype); denticulations of pectoral fin spines distinctly weaker on outer than on inner margin; dorsal-fin spine smooth anteriorly; humeral process rather narrow, pointed and granulate, very slightly keeled ventrally; adipose fin moderately developed, very close/subcontiguous to rayed dorsal fin, sometimes even overlapping with it; body not spotted. Colouration: Uniform grey or brown with a white belly. The inner face of the maxillary barbels are edged in black and the membranes between the fin rays are also black. Etymology: in honour of ichthyologist-herpetologist Jacques Arnoult (1914-1995), Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris), for help and encouragement in the exploration of wildlife in the Republic of Upper Volta. Remarks: Cited in the IUCN Red List of Threatened species as vulnerable due to deforestation in its natural habitat.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Mochokidae

Distribution:

Africa: Volta basin. Burkina Faso, Ghana. Type locality: le Kou, affluent de la Volta Noire, à 30 km au Nord de Bobo-Dioulasso.

Size:

10.0cm. (4ins)

Temp:

23-26°C (73-78°F)

p.H.

6.5-7.5.

Reference:

Bousso, T. & Lalèyè, P. 2010. Synodontis arnoulti. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Seegers, L. 2008 The catfishes of Africa. A handbook for identification and maintenance. Aqualog Verlag A.C.S. GmbH, Germany. 604 p.
The ETYFish Project. Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

Family: Mochokidae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails

Synodontis arnoulti
Stamp

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