Description:
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Anal spines: 0. Diagnosis:
gill slits not extending ventrally beyond pectoral-fin
insertions; post-orbital length at most 60% of snout
length; maxillary barbels broadly fringed, shorter
than head, unbranched and without tubercles, but with
a distinct narrow membrane basal half of their anterior
margins; outer mandibular barbels with few, simple
and rather short ramifications; branches of inner
mandibular barbels more numerous, subdivided and globose;
mandibular teeth strong and rather long, numbering
17-22; pectoral-fin spines finely denticulate, the
serrations being stronger on inner than on outer margin;
dorsal-fin spine anteriorly smooth; humeral process
deep, triangular, granulose and not keeled ventrally;
adipose fin very well developed and close to rayed
dorsal fin. Colouration: after preservation,
the colouration becomes entirely light beige, with
numerous small, dark specks. Live specimens: entirely
yellow, with a dense pattern of black specks covering
body and adipose fin; other, more widely spaced specks
on fins. This is a large species that should be housed
in large aquaria. Remarks:
The last thumbnail species could be S.
vermiculatus
(juvenile) as it does come from the same location
in Mali.
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
Synodontis vermiculata
Family:
Mochokidae
Distribution:
Africa:
Niger River, in Mopti region (Mali) and Lake Kainji
(Nigeria). Type locality: Mopti,
riv. Niger (Mali).
Size:
34.5cm. (13¾ins)
Temp:
23-25°C (73-79°F)
p.H.
6.2-7.2.
Reference:
Ferraris, C.J. Jr.,
2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes:
Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary
types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628. Froese, R. and D. Pauly.
Editors. 2019. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic
publication. www.fishbase.org, version (05/2019).
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.
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