Synodontis obesus

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Synodontis obesus
Synodontis obesus Boulenger, 1898 1057175519.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Mochokidae
Genus: Synodontis
Species:
S. obesus
Binomial name
Synodontis obesus
Boulenger, 1898

Synodontis obesus, known as the Coas synodontis, [2] is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the coastal drainages of Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo. [3] It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1898. [2] The species name obesus is derived from the Latin word obesus, meaning "fat". [2]

Contents

Description

Like all members of the genus Synodontis, S. obesus has a strong, bony head capsule that extends back as far as the first spine of the dorsal fin. [4] The head contains a distinct narrow, bony, external protrusion called a humeral process. [2] The shape and size of the humeral process helps to identify the species. In S. obesus, the humeral process is longer than it is broad, rough, and with or without a very indistinct ridge on the lower edge. [5]

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. [5] It extends to a length of about 1+1⁄6 to 1+1⁄3 times the length of the head. [5] The outer pair of mandibular barbels is about twice the length of the inner pair, and both pairs have moderately long, simple branches. [5]

The front edges of the dorsal fins and the pectoral fins of Syntontis species are hardened into stiff spines. [2] In S. obesus, the spine of the dorsal fin is about 2⁄3 times to as long as the head, slightly curved, smooth in the front and serrated on the back. [5] The remaining portion of the dorsal fin is made up of seven branching rays. [5] The spine of the pectoral fin is about as long as the dorsal spine, and serrated on both sides. [5] The adipose fin is 3 to 4 times as long as it is deep. [5] The anal fin contains four unbranched and eight to nine branched rays. [5] The tail, or caudal fin, is deeply forked, with the upper lobe longer, ending in a filament. [5]

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. obesus, the toothpad forms a short and broad band. [5] On the lower jaw, or mandible, the teeth of Syndontis are attached to flexible, stalk-like structures and described as "s-shaped" or "hooked". [2] [4] The number of teeth on the mandible is used to differentiate between species; in S. obesus, there are about 18 to 28 teeth on the mandible. [5]

The base body color is brown, with darker brown spots or dots, which are more distinct in juvenile fish. Juveniles have whitish fins with round black spots. [5]

The maximum standard length of the species is 25.8 centimetres (10.2 in). [3] 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 coastal drainages of the Bay of Guinea from Ghana to Gabon. [3] The fish has an electric organ that is able to emit a weak electric current for location and protection. [1] It is able to breathe air, which enables it to live in environments with low dissolved oxygen. [1] The species is commercially used as an aquarium species. [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]

Related Research Articles

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

Synodontis nigrita, known as the false upside down catfish, is a species of upside-down catfish that occurs widely in northern Africa. It was first described by French zoologist Achille Valenciennes in 1840. The type specimen is in the Muséum National d' Histoire Naturelle de Paris.

Lake Victoria squeaker Species of fish

The Lake Victoria squeaker is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda where it is found in Lakes Kioga and Victoria and the Victorian Nile the lower Kagera River and the Malagarasi River drainage. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1906, from specimens collected in the Lake Victoria at Buganga, Uganda and Entebbe, Uganda by Mr. E. Degen. The species name victoriae is derived from the location where the species was originally discovered, Lake Victoria.

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

Synodontis budgetti, known as Budgett's synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish native to Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria where it occurs in Lake Nokoue and the Niger. It was first described by Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1911, from specimens collected in Lokoja, Nigeria. The species name budgetti comes from name of the collector of the original specimen, J.S. Budgett.

<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 courteti</i> Species of fish

Synodontis courteti is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the countries of the Niger and Chad Basins. It has been recorded in Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. It was first described by French zoologist Jacques Pellegrin in 1906, from specimens collected in the Chari River, Chad. The species name courteti is named after M. Courtet, member of the "Mission Chari-Lac Chad".

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

Synodontis filamentosus, known as the longfin synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the basins of the Nile, Volta and Niger Rivers as well as the Chad Basin. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1901, from specimens obtained near the mouth of Lake No, on the White Nile in Sudan. The species name filamentosus comes from the elongated rays of the dorsal and caudal fins.

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

Synodontis frontosus, known as the Sudan squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is widely distributed throughout northern and central Africa. It has been reported in Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda. It was first described by French zoologist Léon Vaillant in 1895, from specimens collected in the White Nile in Sudan. The species name frontosus is Latin, and means "broad head".

Synodontis marmoratus is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Cameroon where it is found in the Sanage and Nyong Rivers. It was first described by Swedish zoologist and conservationist Einar Lönnberg in 1895, from a specimen collected from Bonge, Cameroon.

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

Synodontis melanopterus is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Benin, Niger and Nigeria where it is found at Porto Novo and in the Ouémé, Niger and Ogun River basins. It was first described by Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1903, from specimens collected at Oguta, Nigeria, in the Niger River delta.

<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 nigromaculatus</i> Species of fish

Synodontis nigromaculatus, known as the spotted squeaker, the blackspotted squeaker, or the speckled squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is found widely in southern Africa. It has been identified in Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1905, from specimens collected in Lake Bangweulu in Zambia.

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

Synodontis ocellifer, known as the ocellated synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish native to the rivers of northern and western Africa. It has been reported in 10 countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal. It was first described by Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1900, from specimens collected in Kunchow Creek, in Gambia. The species name ocellifer comes from the Latin word ocellus, meaning "eye", and the Latin word ifer, meaning "to carry", which refers to the black spots, possibly with white centers found on the sides.

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

Synodontis omias is a species of upside-down catfish native to the Niger River basin of Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria. It was first described by German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist Albert Günther in 1864, from a specimen collected in Jebba, Nigeria, on the Niger River. There have been very few specimens of this species identified, and it may be the same species as S. budgetti from the Upper Niger.

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

Synodontis resupinatus is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Niger basin and the Bénoué River of Cameroon, Mali, and Nigeria. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1904, from specimens obtained near Lokoja, Nigeria.

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

Synodontis serratus, known as the shield-head squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Nile basin of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan. It was first described by German naturalist and explorer Eduard Rüppell in 1829, from specimens obtained near Cairo, Egypt. The species name serratus comes from the Latin word serra, meaning "saw", which refers to the serrated pectoral spines of the species.

<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.

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

Synodontis sorex is a species of upside-down catfish that is widely distributed in the rivers of northern Africa. It was first described by German zoologist Albert Günther in 1864, from specimens obtained in the upper Nile River, near Khartoum, Sudan. The species name sorex comes from the Latin word for shrew or shrew-mouse, the allusion was not explained. It possibly describes the pointed snout or the long, slender teeth.

<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 melanostictus</i> Species of fish

Synodontis melanostictus is a species of upside-down catfish endemic to Lake Tanganyika and its tributaries. It has been found in Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi. It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1906, based upon a specimen from the Lofubu River. The species name "melanostictus" is derived from a combination of the Greek melano, meaning black, and the Greek stiktos, meaning punctured or spotted. This refers to the black spotted pattern that occurs on the body of this species.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lalèyè, P.; Moelants, T.; Olaosebikan, B.D. (2020). "Synodontis obesus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T183025A134964870. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T183025A134964870.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Synodontis obesus Boulenger, 1898". Planet Catfish. 23 Jul 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2016). "Synodontis obesus" in FishBase. June 2016 version.
  4. 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.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Boulenger, George Albert (1909). Catalogue of the fresh-water fishes of Africa in the British museum (Natural history). London: British Museum. pp. 433–435.
  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.
  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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