These two images were specimens
photographed by the image contributor, Karsten Mody,
in the Comoé National Park, Comoé
River, Côte d'Ivoire. Similar toS.
bastianifromthe same locations. Description:
The humeral process is triangular and pointed at the
tip and the caudal fin is long and deeply forked.
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 longer than head, unbranched,
without tubercles and lacking a distinct basal membrane;
outer mandibular barbels with numerous long and simple
ramifications, branches of inner mandibular barbels
similar, except for the anterior ones which are thick
and bifid; mandibular teeth numbering 21-27 (25 in
the holotype); denticulations of pectoral-fin spines
weaker and more dense on outer than on inner margin;
dorsal-fin spine smooth anteriorly; dorsal and pectoral-fin
spines prolonged into a filament; humeral process
twice as long as deep, pointed and slightly keeled
ventrally; adipose fin moderately developed and distinctly
separated from rayed dorsal fin; sides covered with
numerous small, round spots; a large black spot behind
dorsal fin. Colouration: Rather pale
yellowish; back, sides, adipose fin and bases of all
other fins marked with numerous small black spots;
a well developed black humeral spot, and another large
dark mark behind base of rayed dorsal fin. Aquarium
Care: Very rarely imported so maintenance
would be as per other members of this family. Diet:
A varied diet as per Synodontis species.
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
None
Family:
Mochokidae
Distribution:
Africa:
Nzo River in Sassandra basin and Bandama River, Côte
d'Ivoire. Type locality: le Nzo à
Guiglo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Size:
19.0cm. (7½ins)
Temp:
23-26°C (73-79°F)
p.H.
6.5-7.2.
Reference:
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.
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