Synodontis nummifer | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Siluriformes |
Family: | Mochokidae |
Genus: | Synodontis |
Species: | S. nummifer
|
Binomial name | |
Synodontis nummifer
Boulenger, 1899
|
Synodontis nummifer, known as the two spot synodontis, [2] [3] is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Congo Basin of Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. [4] It was first described by the Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1899, based upon a holotype discovered in Léopoldville, Belgian Congo. [3] The specific name "nummifer" comes from the Latin for "to bear a coin", which refers to the large spots on its sides. [2]
The body of the fish is olive colored on the back transitioning to whitish on the underside. [5] The sides of the fish have a large round black spot on each side, above the lateral line, and frequently a second spot above the base of the anal fin. [5] The pigmentation of the head is spotted. [3]
Like other members of the genus, this fish has a humeral process, which is a bony spike that is attached to a hardened head cap on the fish and can be seen extending beyond the gill opening. [2] This process is broad and rounded at the end, and extends as far as the occipito-nuchal process. [5] The first ray of the dorsal fin and the pectoral fins have a hardened first ray which is serrated, [2] as long or a little longer than the head. [5] The caudal fin is very deeply forked. [5] It has short, cone-shaped teeth in the upper jaw. [2] In the lower jaw, the teeth are s-shaped and movable. [2] The fish has one pair of maxillary barbels, with broad membranes at the base, as long as the head or slightly shorter, [5] and two pairs of mandibular barbels that are often branched. [2] [3] The adipose fin is about four times as long as it is deep. [5] The pectoral spine is a little shorter than the head, and strongly serrated on both sides. [5]
This species grows to a length of 17.5 centimetres (6.9 in) SL although specimens up to 20.5 centimetres (8.1 in) TL have been recorded in the wild. [2] [4]
In the wild, the species inhabits tropical waters with a temperature range of 22 to 25 °C (72 to 77 °F), a pH of 6.4 – 7.2, and dH range of up to 18. [4] It has been found throughout the Congo River basin, but not the southern tributaries of the Congo River. [6]
As other fish, Synodontis nummifer harbours parasites, including species of the monogenean genus Synodontella. [7]
Data related to Synodontis nummifer at Wikispecies
Synodontis nummifer | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Siluriformes |
Family: | Mochokidae |
Genus: | Synodontis |
Species: | S. nummifer
|
Binomial name | |
Synodontis nummifer
Boulenger, 1899
|
Synodontis nummifer, known as the two spot synodontis, [2] [3] is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Congo Basin of Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. [4] It was first described by the Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1899, based upon a holotype discovered in Léopoldville, Belgian Congo. [3] The specific name "nummifer" comes from the Latin for "to bear a coin", which refers to the large spots on its sides. [2]
The body of the fish is olive colored on the back transitioning to whitish on the underside. [5] The sides of the fish have a large round black spot on each side, above the lateral line, and frequently a second spot above the base of the anal fin. [5] The pigmentation of the head is spotted. [3]
Like other members of the genus, this fish has a humeral process, which is a bony spike that is attached to a hardened head cap on the fish and can be seen extending beyond the gill opening. [2] This process is broad and rounded at the end, and extends as far as the occipito-nuchal process. [5] The first ray of the dorsal fin and the pectoral fins have a hardened first ray which is serrated, [2] as long or a little longer than the head. [5] The caudal fin is very deeply forked. [5] It has short, cone-shaped teeth in the upper jaw. [2] In the lower jaw, the teeth are s-shaped and movable. [2] The fish has one pair of maxillary barbels, with broad membranes at the base, as long as the head or slightly shorter, [5] and two pairs of mandibular barbels that are often branched. [2] [3] The adipose fin is about four times as long as it is deep. [5] The pectoral spine is a little shorter than the head, and strongly serrated on both sides. [5]
This species grows to a length of 17.5 centimetres (6.9 in) SL although specimens up to 20.5 centimetres (8.1 in) TL have been recorded in the wild. [2] [4]
In the wild, the species inhabits tropical waters with a temperature range of 22 to 25 °C (72 to 77 °F), a pH of 6.4 – 7.2, and dH range of up to 18. [4] It has been found throughout the Congo River basin, but not the southern tributaries of the Congo River. [6]
As other fish, Synodontis nummifer harbours parasites, including species of the monogenean genus Synodontella. [7]
Data related to Synodontis nummifer at Wikispecies