Synodontis nummifer

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Synodontis nummifer
Synodontis nummifer.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
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]

Contents

Description

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]

Habitat

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]

Parasites

As other fish, Synodontis nummifer harbours parasites, including species of the monogenean genus Synodontella. [7]

Related Research Articles

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

Synodontis acanthomias is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Congo Basin of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. It was originally discovered by George Albert Boulenger in 1899 in Boma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The original specimen resides in the Natural History Museum in London. The species Synodontis pfefferi, described by Franz Steindachner in 1912 was found to be the same species. The specific name "acanthomias" means "very spiny", a reference to spines found on the side of the fish's body.

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

Synodontis alberti, the bigeye squeaker, Albert's syno, bigspotted squeaker, or high-fin synodontis, 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. It was originally described in 1891 by Belgian ichthyologist Louise Schilthuis after its discovery in the Malebo Pool of the Congo River.

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

Synodontis batesii is a species of upside-down catfish native to rivers of Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It was first collected by G. L. Bates and described by Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1907, based upon holotypes discovered in the Dja River, near Bitye in Cameroon. The specific name "batesii" refers to the name of the collector of the first specimen.

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

Synodontis caudalis, known as the filament tailed synodontis, or the whiptail synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was first described by Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1899, from specimens collected in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name caudalis comes from the Latin word cauda, meaning tail, and refers to the elongated filaments in the caudal fin of the species.

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

Synodontis depauwi is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it can be found in Stanley Pool. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1899, from specimens collected in Stanley Pool, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name depauwi is in honour of the "conservateur des collections de l'Université libre de Bruxelles", Louis De Pauw.

Synodontis flavitaeniatus, known as the orangestriped squeaker, the chocolatestriped squeaker, the yellowstriped squeaker, and the pyjama Syno, is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo where it is found in the lower and central Congo Basin. It was first described by Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1919. The holotype was collected from the Ruki River at Eala, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The meaning of the specific name "flavitaeniatus" is "yellow stripes".

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

Synodontis greshoffi 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. It was first collected by M.A. Greshoff in Pool Malebo on the upper Congo River, and the species was named for him by the author of the first paper written about the species, Belgian ichthyologist Louise Schilthuis, in 1891.

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

Synodontis haugi, known as the black synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish native to Gabon where it is found in the Ogowe River basin. It was first collected by M.E. Haug and described by French zoologist Jacques Pellegrin in 1906, based upon a holotype discovered in the Ogooué River, near Ngomo, Gabon. The specific name "huagi" is a tribute to the original collector of the species.

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

Synodontis longirostris, known as the eyespot synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it occurs in the 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 longirostris comes from the Latin word longus, meaning "long", and the Latin word rostrum, meaning snout, referring to the long snout on this species.

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

Synodontis multimaculatus, known as the dotted synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is found in the Ubangi River. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1902, from a specimen collected in the Ubangi River in Mobayi-Mbongo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name multimaculatus is derived from the word multi, meaning many, and the Latin word maculatus, meaning spots, referring to the many spots on the fish.

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

Synodontis notatus, known as the onespot squeaker, the one-spot synodontis, or the domino syno, is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Congo Basin of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo. It was first described by French zoologist Léon Vaillant in 1893. The specific name "notatus" comes from the Latin word for "marked", as with a spot.

Synodontis obesus, known as the Coas synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the coastal drainages of Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1898. The species name obesus is derived from the Latin word obesus, meaning "fat".

<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".

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 decorus</i> Species of fish

Synodontis decorus is a species of upside-down catfish. Common names include clown catfish, clown synodontis, clown syno, clown squeaker, and barredtail squeaker.

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

Synodontis pleurops, known as the Congo squeaker, the bigeye squeaker, or the bug eyed synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish native to the upper Congo Basin of Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. It was first described by the Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1899, based upon a holotype discovered at the Boyoma Falls, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Synodontis polyodon is a species of upside-down catfish native to Gabon where it occurs in the Ogowe River basin. It was first described by French zoologist Léon Vaillant in 1895, based upon a holotype discovered in the Ogooué River, near Adouma, Gabon. The specific name "polyodon" comes from the Greek words poly, meaning "many" and odon, meaning "tooth", referring to the many teeth in this species.

Synodontis schoutedeni, known as the yellow marbled Synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Congo Basin of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. It was first described by Belgian ichthyologist Lore Rose David in 1936, based upon a holotype discovered in Basongo, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The specific name "schoutedeni" is named after the Belgian zoologist Henri Schouteden.

<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

Synodontis soloni, known as the scissortail synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is found in the Ubangi River and the rapids just below Stanley Pool. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1899, from the Congo River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name soloni is a patronym and in memory of Alexandre Solon, who assisted with the collection of fish.

References

  1. ↑ Moelants, T. (2010). "Synodontis nummifer". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T182684A7942307. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T182684A7942307.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Synodontis nummifer Boulenger, 1899". Planet Catfish. 17 Jan 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Synodontis nummifer Boulenger, 1899". scotcat.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2016). "Synodontis nummifer" in FishBase. June 2016 version.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Boulenger, George Albert (1909). Catalogue of the fresh-water fishes of Africa in the British museum (Natural history). London: British Museum. pp. 463–465.
  6. ↑ Moelants, T. (2010). "Synodontis nummifer". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T182684A7942307. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T182684A7942307.en . Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  7. ↑ Mbondo, Jonathan A.; Nack, Jacques; Bitja Nyom, Arnold R.; Pariselle, Antoine; Bilong Bilong, Charles F. (2019). "New species of Synodontella (Monogenea, Ancyrocephalidae) gill parasites of two Synodontis spp. (Pisces, Mochokidae) from the Boumba River (Congo Basin, East Cameroon)". Parasite. 26: 37. doi: 10.1051/parasite/2019037 . ISSN   1776-1042. PMC   6596928 . PMID   31246168.

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