Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Mochokidae (Squeakers or upside-down catfishes) > Mochokinae
Etymology: Synodontis: Greek, syn, symphysis = grown together + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 14°N - 11°N
Africa: only known from the upper Bafing River (Senegal basin) in the Fouta Djalon, Guinea (Ref. 57223).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57223)
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Anal spines: 0. Diagnosis: gill slits not extending ventrally beyond pectoral-fin insertions; post-orbital length at least 60% of snout length; maxillary barbels longer than head, unbranched, without tubercles, but bordered by a narrow and very short basal membrane; outer mandibular barbels with long, simple and thin ramifications (6 in the lectotype); branches of inner mandibular barbels shorter, thicker, subdivided and tuberculate; mandibular teeth short and narrow, numbering 20-39 (39 in the lectotype); denticulations of pectoral-fin spines very weak on outer margins, much stronger on inner margin; dorsal-fin spine smooth anteriorly, except for a few apical denticles; humeral process narrow, triangular, pointed, at least twice as deep as long and not keeled ventrally; adipose fin not very high nor very long, and distinctly separated from rayed dorsal fin; body covered with irregular, more or less coalesced spots; belly dark (Ref. 57223).
Coloration: rather dark, with a network of more or less distinct light wavy bands; fins, in particular the caudal, with well visible spots aligned in bands (Ref. 57223).
Oviparous (Ref. 205). Maximum TL recorded was 10.5 cm (Ref. 57223).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Oviparous (Ref. 205). Distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).
Paugy, D. and T.R. Roberts, 2003. Mochokidae. p. 195-268 In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douce et saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, Tome 2. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 40. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgique, Museum National d'Histoire Naturalle, Paris, France and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France. 815 p. (Ref. 57223)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00437 - 0.02882), b=2.97 (2.77 - 3.17), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.9 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
