Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Mochokidae (Squeakers or upside-down catfishes) > Mochokinae
Etymology: Synodontis: Greek, syn, symphysis = grown together + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Poll.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 9°N - 6°N
Africa: only known from the type locality in the Volta basin in Ghana (Ref. 57223).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.6 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57223)
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 13. Diagnosis: eyes remarkably large, 26.3% of head length, only comparable with some Synodontis species from the Congo River basin (Ref. 82238). Gill slits not extending ventrally beyond pectoral-fin insertions; post-orbital length at most 60% of snout length; maxillary barbels broadly fringed, shorter than head, unbranched and not tuberculate, but with a distinct basal membrane; mandibular barbels with simple and more or less thick ramifications, especially those of the inner pair; width of premaxillary tooth plate comprised at most 1.8 times in eye diameter; mandibular teeth numbering 19; pectoral-fin spines of holotype broken off, but in the basal region, denticulations are stronger on inner than on outer margin; dorsal-fin spine also mutilated, but remaining basal stump smooth anteriorly; humeral process granulate, concave on upper margin, not keeled ventrally; adipose fin rather long, low and distinctly separated from the rayed dorsal fin; outer margin of caudal fin black-edged (Ref. 57223).
Coloration: only known specimen (holotype) light, outer caudal-fin lobes are dark-edged (Ref. 57223).
Oviparous (Ref. 205). Maximum total length 202mm (Ref. 57223).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | 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: Version 2024-1)
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=0.01549 (0.00697 - 0.03443), b=2.90 (2.72 - 3.08), 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).
