| Africa: Ntem basin (Ref. 81636) and Dja River (middle Congo River basin) (Ref. 89136) in Cameroon, Mbini River in Equatorial Guinea (Ref. 42020), and Louetsi (=Ngounié, Ogooué tributary), Nyanga and Mouvanga Creek in Gabon (Ref. 81636). Also reported from the Itimbiri and Aruwimi (middle Congo River basin)(Ref. 106290) and the Lualaba (upper Congo River basin)(Ref. 41590) in Democratic Republic of the Congo, but these are considered questionable in Ref. 81636. |
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Dorsal spines (total): -0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: -0; Anal soft rays: 8-10; Vertebrae: 39. Diagnosis: body a little depressed in front (Ref. 1878), elongate, fusiform (Ref. 81636), its depth 5.66 (Ref. 41590) - 9.1 (Ref. 1878) times in TL, 8.5-9.1 times in SL (Ref. 89112, 89136), 10.8-14.5% SL, with greatest depth at or slightly anterior to dorsal fin origin (Ref. 81636). Head broader than deep, about 1.5 times as long as broad, its length 4.5-5 times in TL (Ref. 1878), 17.2-21.7% SL (Ref. 81636). Snout rounded, about as long as postorbital part of head (Ref. 1878, 89136), 2.35-2.8 times in HL (Ref. 89136). Eye superolateral, 3.75 (Ref. 41590) - 5.75 (Ref. 89136) times in HL, 1.3-1.75 times in interorbital distance, 1.65-2.45 times in snout length (Ref. 89136). Interorbital width 28.6-45.1% HL (Ref. 81636), 3.2-3.55 times in HL (Ref. 89136). Dorsal fin 1.2-1.3 times further from snout tip than from caudal fin origin (Ref. 89136), at equal distance from eye and root of caudal (Ref. 1878). Anal fin origin 2 (Ref. 1878) - 2.4 (Ref. 89136) times as distant from root of pelvics as from root of caudal. Pectoral fin paddle shaped (Ref. 81636), very large, 4-4.75 times in SL, 0.95- 1.2 times in HL (Ref. 89136). Pelvic fin 4.85-6.25 times in SL, 1-1.35 times in HL (Ref. 89136). Caudal peduncle about 1.45 (Ref. 89136) - 1.66 (Ref. 1878) times as long as deep.
Description: ventral profile flat (Ref. 81636). Mouth inferior (Ref. 81636, 89136), and straight, running most of the width of the head (Ref. 81636). Both jaws with continuous keratinized ridge instead of teeth; upper lip forms a small, fleshy lappet on both sides of the mouth (Ref. 81636). Lower lip absent, but cutting edge present (Ref. 89136). Gill opening short, formed by a skin flap extending from opercle posteriorly beyond pectoral fin base; epibranchial organ present; both pectoral and pelvic fins fan out from the body in the horizontal plane formed by the ventral surface; scales small, cycloid; 3 branchiostegal rays (Ref. 81636). Caudal fin deeply forked (Ref. 1878, 81636, 89136), with 18-19 soft rays (Ref. 81636, 89136) including an unbranched ray at both dorsal and ventral edge (Ref. 81636), lobes pointed (Ref. 1878), lower lobe a little longer than upper (Ref. 89136). 37 (Ref. 81636) - 39 (Ref. 89082) vertebrae.
Coloration: preserved specimens: base body coloration yellowish to yellowish brown; darker brown blotches cover head, flanks and dorsum, in some cases barely visible; blotches coalesce into a row of 9-10 large spots along flanks; dark pigment usually along fin rays of all fins, faintest in anal fin; in most cases, 3-4 darker spots visible on each lobe of caudal fin, blending together anterior to fork (Ref. 81636). Lower lobe of caudal fin sometimes nearly entirely black (Ref. 1878). Dark spot at base of pelvic fin (Ref. 1878, 81636) and caudal fin (Ref. 81636). Ventral surface yellowish brown (Ref. 81636). |
