Synodontis melanosticta • Mochokidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Synodontis melanosticta** Boulenger, 1906
Common Name(s)	None
Type Locality	Lofu, Lake Tanganyika.
Synonym(s)	Synodontis melanostictus
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 (melas=black) spots (stictus,-a=spots).
Species Information
Size	320mm (12.6") 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. Axillary pore absent, body with small spots, All rayed fins with small, black spots, similar to those found on body,black triangles absent, fin spines brown, 9-10 pectoral-fin rays. Humeral process triangular, wide at base tapering to sharp point.
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	The only species of Synodontis found in the lake not endemic to the Lake Tanganyikan Basin. S.melanosticta lacks the rayed fin colouration common to almost all its Tanganyikan congeners. Inhabits littoral to benthic zones over shell,sand and mud bottoms to a maximum depth of 150 m.
Habitat Information
Distribution	East central Africa: Lake Tanganyika and its tributaries. African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
Husbandry Information
Breeding	Unreported.
Further Information
References	Transactions of the Zoological Society of London v. 17 (pt 6, no. 1)
Registered Keepers	None.
Breeding Reports	None.
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Last Update	2011 Oct 05 12:09 (species record created: 2008 Mar 08 03:38)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Synodontis melanosticta Boulenger, 1906

Common Name(s)

None

Type Locality

Lofu, Lake Tanganyika.

Synonym(s)

Synodontis melanostictus

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 (melas=black) spots (stictus,-a=spots).

Species Information

Size

320mm (12.6") 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.

Axillary pore absent, body with small spots, All rayed fins with small, black spots, similar to those found on body,black triangles absent, fin spines brown, 9-10 pectoral-fin rays. Humeral process triangular, wide at base tapering to sharp point.

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

The only species of Synodontis found in the lake not endemic to the Lake Tanganyikan Basin. S.melanosticta lacks the rayed fin colouration common to almost all its Tanganyikan congeners. Inhabits littoral to benthic zones over shell,sand and mud bottoms to a maximum depth of 150 m.

Habitat Information

Distribution

East central Africa: Lake Tanganyika and its tributaries.
African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika (click on these areas to find other species found there)