3
2
1
Home Please visit Swiss Tropicals proud sponsor of PlanetCatfish.com
  |  Home  | |  CotM  | |  Cat-eLog  | |  Shane's World  | |  Forum  | |  Books  | |  Cool  | |  Search  | |  Help!  |
Quick find:
Convert Length, Temperature or Volume

Jump to next sectionCat-eLog > Mochokidae > Synodontis

  • Synodontis nigromaculata(1) - Click to enlarge
  • Synodontis nigromaculata(2) - Click to enlarge
  • Synodontis nigromaculata(3) Lateral view - Click to enlarge
    Lateral view
  • Synodontis nigromaculata(4) Dorsal view - Click to enlarge
    Dorsal view
  • Synodontis nigromaculata(5) - Click to enlarge
  • Synodontis nigromaculata(6) Stamp - Click to enlarge
    Stamp
Jump to next section Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name Synodontis nigromaculata  Boulenger, 1905     
Common Name(s) Spikkel-skreeubaber (Afrikaans, South African), Spotted Squeaker
Type Locality Lake Bangwelo [Bangweolo], Zambia.
Synonym(s) Synodontis colyeri, Synodontis nigromaculatus
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. This specific epithet refers to its black (nigro=black) spots (maculatus,-a=spots).
Jump to next section Species Information
Size 340mm (13.4") 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.

Body deep, snout fairly short, caudal is forked to around it's center, it's lobes are rounded or pointed. Barbels are long and slender, mandibular teeth 21-43 in a broad band. Humeral process is narrow, triangular, and pointed. Olive green, entire body covered with round brown or black irregularly distributed spots no larger than the eye these sometimes merge to form vermiculate streaks.
General Remarks SA angling record 0.145 kg, Zimbabwe 0.506 kg.
Jump to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Africa: Luapula System, Moero, Bangwelo, Lake Tanganyika, upper Kasai, upper Zambezi, Okovango, Cunene and Limpopo. Also present in the Zambian Congo.
African Waters Show it on a map , Congo, Upper Congo, Lualaba, Mweru Show it on a map , Luapula (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
African Waters Show it on a map , Congo, Upper Congo, Lualaba, Mweru Show it on a map  (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
African Waters Show it on a map , Zambesi, Upper Zambesi (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
African Waters Show it on a map , Limpopo (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
African Waters Show it on a map , Congo, Kasai (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
African Waters Show it on a map , Cunene (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
African Waters Show it on a map , Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika Show it on a map  (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
African Waters Show it on a map , Congo, Upper Congo, Lualaba, Mweru Show it on a map , Luapula, Bangweolo Show it on a map  (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
African Waters Show it on a map , Okavango (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
pH 6.0 - 7.5
Temperature 22.0-26.0°C or 71.6-78.8°F (Show others within this range)
Other Parameters dH 20. Prefers rocks or marginal vegetation of flowing riverine channels to lagoons or backwaters.
Jump to next section Husbandry Information
Feeding Feeds on a variety of food including detritus, algae and plant material, insects, snails and small fish, and scavenges readily.
Breeding Unreported. Breeds during the summer rainy season. Eggs are green.
Jump to next section Further Information
References Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (Ser. 7)v. 16 (no. 96) - pp645, Skelton, P. (2001) A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa. Struik pg.251, Seegers, (2008) The Catfishes of Africa pg 458
Registered Keepers (1) synodont_fan, (2) Redcatman, (3) syno-kev, who also notes: "the largest fish in my 4ft malawi tank he is about 6 inches .", (4) Tasplec, (5) judeblackburn (k: 3).

Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.

Add this species to your My Cats species list Add this species to your "my cats" page.
Breeding Reports None.
More Resources Search Planet Catfish - Search Planet Catfish for more on Synodontis nigromaculata
Link - BBcode (for use in linking to this page from forum posts)
Look up AquaticRepublic.com - Look up Synodontis nigromaculata on AquaticRepublic.com
Look up Fishbase - Look up Synodontis nigromaculata on Fishbase, I.T.I.S. or ispecies search.
Link - URL (for use in linking to the species from anywhere on the web)
Hits 8809 hits.
Last Update 2010 Dec 21 18:35 (species record created: 2001 May 04 00:00)

Who is online

Registered users: Bing [Bot], gold ocean aqua, Google [Bot], Suckermouth

 

© 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.