/mochokidae/synodontis/rukwaensis/1.jpg "Synodontis rukwaensis(1) Rufiji River, Tanzania - Click to enlarge")
/mochokidae/synodontis/rukwaensis/2.jpg "Synodontis rukwaensis(2) Close-up of head - Click to enlarge")
/mochokidae/synodontis/rukwaensis/3.jpg "Synodontis rukwaensis(3) Dorsal view - Click to enlarge")
 Cat-eLog Data Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Synodontis rukwaensis (Hilgendorf & Pappenheim, 1903) |
| Common Name(s) | None |
| Type Locality | Lake Rukwa, southwestern Tanzania. |
| Synonym(s) | Synodontis maculipinna, Synodontis wamiensis, Synodontis zambezensis rukwaensis |
| Pronunciation | sin oh don tiss |
| Etymology | Synodontis: From the Greek syn, meaning together, and odontos, meaning tooth; in reference to the closely-spaced lower jaw teeth. Originating from Lake Rukwa. |
| Species Information | |
| Size | 255mm (10") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp. |
| Identification | All species in the genus Synodontis have a hardened head cap that has attached a process (humeral process) which is situated behind the gill opening and pointed towards the posterior. The dorsal fin and pectoral fins have a hardened first ray which is serrated. Caudal fin is always forked. There is one pair of maxillary barbels, sometimes having membranes and occasionally branched. The two pairs of mandibular barbels are often branched and can have nodes attached. The cone-shaped teeth in the upper jaw are short. S-shaped and movable in the lower jaw. These fish produce audible sounds when disturbed rubbing the base of the pectoral spine against the pectoral girdle. The humeral process is long and triangular, running up to a pointed tip. The caudal fin is deeply forked. Juveniles have a white-yellowish base colouration with large dark spots or marbling.Irregular whitish bands extend vertically in front of the dorsal and adipose fins and behind the latter. Adults are olive-grey, the base of the dorsal fin is darker, and there may be a few dark spots on the head and body. Sexually active males sometimes have a reddish caudal fin. |
| General Remarks | These fish prefer large calm waters. |
| Habitat Information | |
| Distribution | Africa, Lake Rukwa drainage, Ugalla subdrainage, Malagarasi system, and theeastward flowing rivers of Tanzania south of the Pangani. African Waters  , Southern Rift Lakes, Rukwa (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there) |
| Husbandry Information | |
| Feeding | Studies of gut content showed small pieces of weed and vegetable debris, Odonata larvae, chironomid larvae, terrestrial insects, gastropod molluscs, fish scales, zooplankton, phytoplankton, plus some sand and mud. This wide diversity of the diet was confirmed by aquarium observations; the fish take all kinds of foods including flakes and pellets. |
| Breeding | Unreported. In the Ruvu River, an eastward flowing coastal stream, the species seems to spawn in the rainy season and the young migrate into smaller affluents or the adults spawn at those places. |
| Further Information | |
| References | The Fishes of the Lake Rukwa Drainage,Seegers pg.248.The Catfishes of Africa,Seegers pg.485 Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1903 (no. 6) |
| Registered Keepers | None.  Add this species to your "my cats" page. |
| Breeding Reports | None. |
| More Resources |
 -
Search Planet Catfish for more on Synodontis rukwaensis
 - BBcode (for use in linking to this page from forum posts) - Look up Synodontis rukwaensis on AquaticRepublic.com
 - Look up Synodontis rukwaensis on Fishbase, I.T.I.S. or ispecies search. - URL (for use in linking to the species from anywhere on the web) |
| Hits | 2385 hits. |
| Last Update | 2009 Dec 14 03:21 (species record created: 2008 Dec 21 04:59) |
Registered users: Bing [Bot], Dave Rinaldo, Exabot [Bot], Google [Bot], Majestic-12 [Bot]
© 1996 - 2012 PlanetCatfish.com, part of the Aquatic Republic Network group of websites. All Rights Reserved. By accessing this site you agree to our Terms and Conditions of Use.
