/siluriformes/mochokidae/synodontis/xiphias/1.jpg "Synodontis xiphias")
Close-up of head
 Cat-eLog Data Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Synodontis xiphias Günther, 1864 |
| Common Name | |
| Type Locality | Niger, western Africa. |
| Synonym(s) | Synodontis labeo |
| Pronunciation | sin oh don tiss |
| Etymology | According to Cuvier, Synodontis is an "ancient name for an undetermined fish from the Nile". It is not derived, as often reported, from syn-, together and odous, tooth, presumed etymology of the lizardfish genus Synodus and refers to the closely-spaced lower jaw teeth of both genera. |
| Species Information | |
| Size | 800mm or 31.5" 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. |
| 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 punctured by the sharp fin spines (which hurts - be careful). 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 fish's 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. It may also show a little redness if gravid. A thin or emaciated female will have just two pink pores, the oviduct and the anus. |
| General Remarks | The elongated snout is reportedly an artefact. |
| Habitat Information | |
| Distribution | Africa: Niger basin. African Waters, Nigeria Waters, Niger (click on these areas to find other species found there) Log in to view data on a map. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Critically Endangered, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2019. |
| Husbandry Information | |
| Breeding | Unreported. |
| Breeding Reports | There is no breeding report. |
| Further Information | |
| Reference | Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum v. 5, pp 215. |
| Registered Keepers | There is but a single registered keeper, view all "my cats" data. |
| Wishlists | Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There are 2 wishes to keep this species, see who wants what. |
| Spotters | Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 3 records of this fish being seen, view them all. |
| Forum BBCode | |
| Search for S. xiphias | |
 | Look up S. xiphias on AquaticRepublic.com |
 | Look up S. xiphias on Fishbase |
 | Look up S. xiphias on Encyclopedia of Life |
 | Look up S. xiphias on Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
 | LFS label creator |
| Last Update | 2020 Oct 28 16:27 (species record created: 2009 Apr 22 00:50) |