Synodontis polystigma

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Synodontis polystigma
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Mochokidae
Genus: Synodontis
Species:
S. polystigma
Binomial name
Synodontis polystigma
Boulenger, 1915

Synodontis polystigma is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the upper Congo Basin of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. [2] It was first described by George Albert Boulenger in 1915. The original specimens were obtained at Lukonzolwa, in Lake Mweru, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [3] The species name polystigma is derived from poly, meaning "many" and stigma, meaning "mark or spot", referring to the numerous black spots on the body and fins of the species. [4]

Contents

Description

Like all members of the genus Synodontis, S. polystigma 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. [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. [6] The adipose fin is large and the tail, or caudal fin, is forked. [3]

The front edges of the dorsal fins and the pectoral fins are hardened into stiff spines. These spines can be raised into position at right angles to the body and locked into position for defensive purposes. [7] [8] The ability to lock the spines into place comes from several small bones attached to the spine, and once raised, the spines cannot be folded down by exerting pressure on the tip. [8]

The fish has 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. On the lower jaw, or mandible, the teeth are attached to flexible, stalk-like structures and described as "s-shaped" or "hooked". [3] [5]

The maximum total length of the species is 24.5 centimeters (9.6 in). [2] Generally, females in the genus Synodontis tend to be slightly larger than males of the same age. [9]

Habitat and behavior

In the wild, the species occurs in the Luapula-Mweru River system. [1] It is harvested for human consumption. [1] The species faces threats from overfishing. [1] As a whole, species of Synodontis are omnivores, consuming insect larvae, algae, gastropods, bivalves, sponges, crustaceans, and the eggs of other fishes. [10] The reproductive habits of most of the species of Synodontis are not known, beyond some instances of obtaining egg counts from gravid females. [10] Spawning likely occurs during the flooding season between July and October, and pairs swim in unison during spawning. [11] The growth rate is rapid in the first year, then slows down as the fish age. [9]

Related Research Articles

Synodontis aterrimus, known as the network 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 Congo Basin. It was first described by Max Poll and Tyson R. Roberts in 1968. The original specimens were obtained in Bokuma, on the Congo River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name aterrimus means "very black", referring to the dark coloration on the underside of the body.

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

Synodontis brichardi, known as Brichard's synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it occurs in the rapids of the lower Congo River. It was first described by Max Poll in 1959. The original specimens were obtained from the rapids at Kinsuka, Kinshaa, Zaire. The species name brichardi is named in honor of Pierre Brichard, an aquarium fish exporter who first discovered the fish.

Synodontis camelopardalis, known as the giraffe synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is only known to occur in the Tshuapa River. It was first described by Max Poll in 1971. The original specimens were obtained in Eala, on the Ruki River in the central Congo River Basin. The species name camelopardalis refers to the giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis, in reference to the coloration of the fish.

Synodontis centralis is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it occurs in the middle Congo Basin. It was first described by Max Poll in 1971. The original specimens were obtained in Ndwa village, Kunungu, Zaire. The species name centralis refers to its habitat in the central Congo Basin.

Synodontis cuangoanus is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it occurs in the Kwango River drainage. It was first described by Max Poll in 1971. The original specimens were obtained in Cuango, Cafunfo, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name cuangoanus is derived from "Cuango", the location where the species was first discovered, and the suffix -anus, meaning "belonging to".

Synodontis dorsomaculatus is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it occurs in the Lukusi and upper Lualaba Rivers and the Upemba lakes. It was first described by Max Poll in 1971. The original specimens were obtained in Kadia, Kisale, Katanga, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name dorsomaculatus is derived from the word dorso, meaning "back", and the word maculatus, meaning "spotted", a reference to the dark round spots on the fish's back.

Synodontis iturii is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is only known from the Ituri River. It was first described by Franz Steindachner in 1911. The original specimens were obtained in the Ituri River, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name iturii is derived from the Ituri River, where the species was discovered.

Synodontis katangae is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia where it is found in the Congo Basin. It was first described by Max Poll in 1971. The original specimens were obtained in Lukonzolwa, on Lake Mweru, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name katangae is a reference to the Katanga province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the species was first found.

Synodontis khartoumensis is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Uganda where it occurs in Lake Albert and the Nile basin. It was first described by Yousif Babiker Abu Gideiri in 1967. The original specimens were obtained in the Blue Nile, about 2 miles away from the confluence of the Blue Nile and the White Nile, near Khartoum, Sudan. The species name khartoumensis is derived from the city of Khartoum, where the type species was originally found.

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

Synodontis leopardinus, known as the leopard squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to the Cunene, Okavango and upper Zambezi Rivers. It was first described by Jacques Pellegrin in 1914. The original specimens were obtained in Barotsés, on the Zambezi River in Zambia. The species name leopardinus means "leopard like", referring to the fish's small black spots on a yellowish body.

<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.

Synodontis longispinis is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Republic of the Congo where it is found in the Sangha River. It was first described by Jacques Pellegrin in 1930 as Synodontis batesi longspinis, a subspecies of S. batesi with an especially long dorsal fin spine, but it is presently recognized as its own species. The species name longispinis is derived from the word longus, meaning long, and the word spinis, meaning spine, which is a reference to the long dorsal fin spine on the fish.

Synodontis lufirae is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it occurs in the Lufira River drainage. It was first described by Max Poll in 1971. The original specimens were obtained in the Lufira River, in the Congo River Basin. The species name lufirae is named for the river in which the species is found.

Synodontis macrostoma, known as the largemouth squeaker, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to Namibia and Zambia where it is found in the Kafue, upper Zambezi, Okavango and Cunene Rivers. It was first described by Paul H. Skelton and Peter N. White in 1990. The original specimens were obtained in Upper Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo, Caprivi, Namibia. The species name macrostoma means "large mouth", which refers to its distinctive large mouth.

Synodontis ornatissimus 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 drainage. It was first described by Jean-Pierre Gosse in 1982. The original specimens were obtained in Poko, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name ornatissimus means "very ornate or decorated", referring to the coloration of the fish, with many black spots on the body and dorsal fin, and black bands on the tail.

Synodontis pulcher is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is only known from Stanley Pool. It was first described by Max Poll in 1971. The original specimens were obtained from Stanley Pool, on the Congo River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name pulcher means "beautiful", referring to the markings on the body.

Synodontis robertsi, known as Robert's Synodontis, or the large blotch Synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is only known from the Lukenie River. It was first described by Max Poll in 1974. The original specimens were obtained in Elombe, on the Lukenie River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name robertsi is in honor of ichthyologist Tyson R. Roberts, who helped collect the type specimens.

<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.

Synodontis unicolor is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it occurs in the area of Luapula-Mweru. It was first described by George Albert Boulenger in 1915. The original specimens were obtained in Kasenga, on the Luapula River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species name unicolor means "one color", referring to the uniform dark-brown coloration on the body and fins.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Moelants, T. (2010). "Synodontis polystigma". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2016). "Synodontis polystigma" in FishBase. June 2016 version.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Synodontis polystigma Poll & Roberts, 1968". Planet Catfish. 19 Jul 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  4. ↑ Scharpf, Christopher & Kenneth Lazara (12 Sep 2016). "Order SILURIFORMES: Families MALAPTERURIDAE, MOCHOKIDAE, SCHILBEIDAE, AUCHENOGLANIDIDAE, CLAROTEIDAE and LACANTUNIIDAE". The ETYFish Project. Retrieved 7 November 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. ↑ Boulenger, George Albert (1909). Catalogue of the fresh-water fishes of Africa in the British museum (Natural history). London: British Museum. p. 391.
  7. ↑ Nelson, Joseph; T. Grande & M. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (Fifth ed.). John Wiley and Sons. p. 227.
  8. 1 2 Scherge, M.; S. Gorb & S. Gorb. Biological Micro- and Nanotribology. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 97–98.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. ↑ 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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