Synodontis woleuensis

Synodontis woleuensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Mochokidae
Genus: Synodontis
Species: S. woleuensis
Binomial name
Synodontis woleuensis
Friel & Sullivan, 2008

Synodontis woleuensis is a species of upside-down catfish native to Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.[2] It was first described in 2008 by American zoologists John P. Friel and John P. Sullivan. The original holotypes were collected in the Woleu-Ntem Province, Gabon.[3] The specific name "woleuensis" is derived from the Woleu River, where the specimens were originally collected.[3]

Description

The body of the fish is dark brown, with a variable pattern and number of light, cream-colored spots.[2] The ventral surface is light colored.[2] The caudal fin has a narrow, light-colored curved band along the anterior margin.[2]

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.[3] The first ray of the dorsal fin and the pectoral fins have a hardened first ray which is serrated.[2] The caudal fin is forked.[2] It has short, cone-shaped teeth in the upper jaw.[3] In the lower jaw, the teeth are s-shaped and movable.[3] The fish has one pair of long maxillary barbels, extending far beyond the operculum, and two pairs of mandibular barbels that are often branched.[3] The adipose fin is present.[2]

This species grows to a length of up to 5.1 centimetres (2.0 in) SL.[2][3]

Habitat

In the wild, the species inhabits tropical freshwater environments.[2] It has only been found in two locations, but may be more widespread than is currently known.[1] Speciments have been found in the Woleau River of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and the Kyé River that runs along the border between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Moelants, T. (2010). "Synodontis woleuensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2016). "Synodontis woleuensis" in FishBase. June 2016 version.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Synodontis woleuensis Friel & Sullivan, 2008". Planet Catfish. 27 Jan 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2016.

Data related to Synodontis woleuensis at Wikispecies

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