Synodontis macrostigma

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Synodontis macrostigma
Synodontis macrostigma.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Mochokidae
Genus: Synodontis
Species:
S. macrostigma
Binomial name
Synodontis macrostigma
Boulenger, 1911

Synodontis macrostigma, known as the largespot squeaker, [2] is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia where it is found in the Cunene, Okavango, upper Zambezi and Kafue River systems. [2] It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1911, from specimens collected in the Okovango River, Botswana, by R. B. Woosnam. [3] [4] The species name macrostigma is derived from the Greek word makros, meaning "large", and the Greek word stigma, meaning "mark" or "spot" and refers to the large spots on the sides of the fish. [4]

Contents

Description

Like all members of the genus Synodontis, S. macrostigma has a strong, bony head capsule that extends back as far as the first spine of the dorsal fin. [5] The head contains a distinct narrow, bony, external protrusion called a humeral process. [4] The shape and size of the humeral process helps to identify the species. In S. macrostigma, the humeral process is a little longer than it is broad, triangular in shape, rough, and without a ridge on the lower edge. [3]

The fish has three pairs of barbels. The maxillary barbels are on located on the upper jaw, and two pairs of mandibular barbels are on the lower jaw. The maxillary barbel is long and straight without any branches, with a broad membrane at the base. [3] It extends to a length of about 4⁄5 times the length of the head. [3] The outer pair of mandibular barbels is a little under twice the length of the inner pair, and both pairs have short branches. [3]

The front edges of the dorsal fins and the pectoral fins of Syntontis species are hardened into stiff spines. [4] In S. macrostigma, the spine of the dorsal fin is about as long as the head, slightly curved, smooth in the front and serrated on the back. [3] The remaining portion of the dorsal fin is made up of seven branching rays. [3] The spine of the pectoral fin is shorter than the size of the dorsal spine, and serrated on both sides. [3] The adipose fin is 4 to 4+1⁄2 times as long as it is deep. [3] The anal fin contains four unbranched and eight branched rays. [3] The tail, or caudal fin, is deeply forked. [3]

All members of Syndontis have a structure called a premaxillary toothpad, which is located on the very front of the upper jaw of the mouth. This structure contains several rows of short, chisel-shaped teeth. In S. macrostigma, the toothpad forms a short and broad band. [3] On the lower jaw, or mandible, the teeth of Syndontis are attached to flexible, stalk-like structures and described as "s-shaped" or "hooked". [4] [5] The number of teeth on the mandible is used to differentiate between species; in S. macrostigma, there are about 20 to 26 teeth on the mandible. [3]

The base body color is brown on the top surface, becoming lighter toward the underside. The back and sides have large round or oval blackish spots, smaller spots appear on the head and fins. [3]

The maximum total length of the species is 17.1 centimetres (6.7 in). [2] Generally, females in the genus Synodontis tend to be slightly larger than males of the same age. [6]

Habitat and behavior

In the wild, the species has been found in the upper Zambezi River basin, and the Okavango River system. [1] The reproductive habits of most of the species of Synodontis are not known, beyond some instances of obtaining egg counts from gravid females. [7] Spawning likely occurs during the flooding season between July and October, and pairs swim in unison during spawning. [8] As a whole, species of Synodontis are omnivores, consuming insect larvae, algae, gastropods, bivalves, sponges, crustaceans, and the eggs of other fishes. [7] The growth rate is rapid in the first year, then slows down as the fish age. [6]

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<i>Synodontis guttatus</i> Species of fish

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<i>Synodontis longirostris</i> Species of fish

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<i>Synodontis multimaculatus</i> Species of fish

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<i>Synodontis nebulosus</i> Species of fish

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<i>Synodontis nigromaculatus</i> Species of fish

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<i>Synodontis ornatipinnis</i> Species of fish

Synodontis ornatipinnis, known as the barfin synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Congo Basin of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1899, from specimens collected in Mbandaka, on the Congo River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name ornatipinnis means "ornate fins".

<i>Synodontis pardalis</i> Species of fish

Synodontis pardalis is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to Cameroon where it occurs in the Dja River drainage. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1908, from specimens collected in the Dja River in southern Cameroon. The species name pardalis is derived from the Greek word pardalis, which means "leopard", which refers to the spotted pattern on the fish.

<i>Synodontis resupinatus</i> Species of fish

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<i>Synodontis smiti</i> Species of fish

Synodontis smiti, known as the longtail Synodontis, or Smit's Synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is found in the middle and upper Congo Basin. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1902, from specimens obtained in the Ubangi River at Banzyville. The species name smiti is named for Pierre Jacques Smit, who illustrated the plates in Boulenger's works.

<i>Synodontis soloni</i> Species of fish

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<i>Synodontis woosnami</i> Species of fish

Synodontis woosnami, known as the Upper Zambezi squeaker, or bubblebarb squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe where it is found in the upper Zambezi and Okavango River basins and the Cunene River. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1911, from a specimen collected in the Okavango River in the Lake Ngami district of Botswana. The species name woosnami is derived from R. B. Woosnam, the collector of the first specimen.

<i>Synodontis zambezensis</i> Species of fish

Synodontis zambezensis, known as the brown squeaker, the korokoro, or the plain squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the middle and lower Zambezi River system of Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was first described by German naturalist and explorer Wilhelm Peters in 1852, from specimens collected in the Zambezi River in Mozambique. The species name zambezensis is derived from the Zambezi River, where this species is found.

References

  1. 1 2 Marshall, B.E.; Tweddle, D. (2007). "Synodontis macrostigma". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2007: e.T63373A12651525. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63373A12651525.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2016). "Synodontis macrostigma" in FishBase. June 2016 version.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Boulenger, George Albert (1909). Catalogue of the fresh-water fishes of Africa in the British museum (Natural history). London: British Museum. pp. 432–433.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Synodontis macrostigma Boulenger, 1911". Planet Catfish. 19 Jul 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 Cuvier, Georges (1934). The Animal Kingdom Arranged in Conformity with its Organization, Volume 10. Translated by Griffith, Edward. London: Whittaker and Co. p. 406.
  6. 1 2 H. M. Bishai & Y. B. Abu Gideiri (1965). "Studies on the biology of genus Synodontis at Khartoum". Hydrobiologia . 26 (1–2): 85–97. doi:10.1007/BF00142257. S2CID   24587047.
  7. 1 2 Wright, J.J. & L.M. Page (2006). "Taxonomic Revision of Lake Tanganyikan Synodontis (Siluriformes: Mochokidae)". Florida Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 46 (4): 99–154. doi:10.58782/flmnh.bnkq3478.
  8. ↑ John P. Friel & Thomas R. Vigliotta (March 2, 2009). "Mochokidae Jordan 1923: African squeaker and suckermouth catfishes". Tree of Life Web Project . Retrieved 19 October 2016.

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