Synodontis zambezensis • Mochokidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Synodontis zambezensis** Peters, 1852
Common Name(s)	Brown Squeaker, Bruin Skreeubaber (Afrikaans, South African)
Type Locality	Zambezi R., Mozambique.
Synonym(s)	Hemisynodontis zambezensis
Pronunciation	sin oh don tiss - zam BEE zen siss
Etymology	Synodontis: From the Greek syn, meaning together, and odontos, meaning tooth; in reference to the closely-spaced lower jaw teeth. -ensis denoted a place, river etc., after the River Zambezi.
Species Information
Size	430mm (16.9") 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. D I, 7; A iv-vi, 7-10. Body deep, adipose fin large, caudal forkerd, barbels long and slender, mandibular branches filamentous. Plain olive brown or gray. Small spots present or absent. Spotted specimens are more common in populations from the Limpopo, Incomati, and Pholongo. Juveniles with albino patches on body often found.
Sexing	First lay the fish in your hand with its head toward your palm and the tail toward your fingers. Hold the dorsal spine between your middle and ring finger so the fish is belly up and you won't get stuck (Which by the way, hurts like crazy!). The genital pore is in a small furrow of tissue (in healthy fish) and will be obstructed by the pelvic fins. Pull down on the tail gently to arch the fishes spine and the pelvic fins will stand and the furrow open to display the genital pore and the anus of the fish. The male has a somewhat ridged genital papillae on which the spermatoduct is on the back side, facing the tail fin. A gravid female will also show an extended papillae but the oviduct is on the ventral side of the papillae (And may also show a little redness if really gravid). A thin or emaciated female will have just two pink pores, the oviduct and the anus.
General Remarks	South African angling record .29 kg, Zimbabwe .82 kg, Malawi .57 kg.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Africa: Pongolo, Limpopo, Pungwe and Zambezi basins; Rukwa Lake; Luangwe River. African Waters, Pungwe (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Limpopo (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Southern Rift Lakes, Rukwa (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Maputo, Pongolo (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Zambesi (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Zambesi, Luangwa (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	6.5 - 7.8
Temperature	18.5-25.0°C or 65.3-77°F (Show others within this range)
Other Parameters	Found in pools and slow-flowing reaches of perennial and seasonal rivers. Prefers riverine habitats to floodplains. Shelters in holes or crevices or on the underside of logs, frequently in an upside-down position.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Active at night, a bottom feeder on detritus and plant matter such as seeds as well as small invertebrates like insects and snails.
Suggested Tankmates	Medium-sized cyprinids and cichlids with similar requirements.
Breeding	Unreported. In the wild, spawns in the summer during rainy periods.
Further Information
References	Monatsb. Akad. Wiss. Berlin 1852 682 Skelton, P. (2001) A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa. Struik
Registered Keepers	None.
Breeding Reports	None.
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Last Update	2010 Dec 21 18:42 (species record created: 2005 Jul 19 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Synodontis zambezensis Peters, 1852

Common Name(s)

Brown Squeaker, Bruin Skreeubaber (Afrikaans, South African)

Type Locality

Zambezi R., Mozambique.

Synonym(s)

Hemisynodontis zambezensis

Pronunciation

sin oh don tiss - zam BEE zen siss

Etymology

Synodontis: From the Greek syn, meaning together, and odontos, meaning tooth; in reference to the closely-spaced lower jaw teeth. -ensis denoted a place, river etc., after the River Zambezi.

Species Information

Size

430mm (16.9") 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.

D I, 7; A iv-vi, 7-10. Body deep, adipose fin large, caudal forkerd, barbels long and slender, mandibular branches filamentous. Plain olive brown or gray. Small spots present or absent. Spotted specimens are more common in populations from the Limpopo, Incomati, and Pholongo. Juveniles with albino patches on body often found.

Sexing

First lay the fish in your hand with its head toward your palm and the tail toward your fingers. Hold the dorsal spine between your middle and ring finger so the fish is belly up and you won't get stuck (Which by the way, hurts like crazy!). The genital pore is in a small furrow of tissue (in healthy fish) and will be obstructed by the pelvic fins. Pull down on the tail gently to arch the fishes spine and the pelvic fins will stand and the furrow open to display the genital pore and the anus of the fish. The male has a somewhat ridged genital papillae on which the spermatoduct is on the back side, facing the tail fin. A gravid female will also show an extended papillae but the oviduct is on the ventral side of the papillae (And may also show a little redness if really gravid). A thin or emaciated female will have just two pink pores, the oviduct and the anus.

General Remarks

South African angling record .29 kg, Zimbabwe .82 kg, Malawi .57 kg.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Africa: Pongolo, Limpopo, Pungwe and Zambezi basins; Rukwa Lake; Luangwe River.
African Waters, Pungwe (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Limpopo (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Southern Rift Lakes, Rukwa (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Maputo, Pongolo (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Zambesi (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Zambesi, Luangwa (click on these areas to find other species found there)

(Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)

6.5 - 7.8

Temperature

18.5-25.0°C or 65.3-77°F (Show others within this range)

Other Parameters

Found in pools and slow-flowing reaches of perennial and seasonal rivers. Prefers riverine habitats to floodplains. Shelters in holes or crevices or on the underside of logs, frequently in an upside-down position.

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Active at night, a bottom feeder on detritus and plant matter such as seeds as well as small invertebrates like insects and snails.

Suggested Tankmates

Medium-sized cyprinids and cichlids with similar requirements.

Breeding

Unreported. In the wild, spawns in the summer during rainy periods.

Further Information

References

Monatsb. Akad. Wiss. Berlin 1852 682
Skelton, P. (2001) A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa. Struik

Registered Keepers

None.