Mochokiella paynei Howes, 1980
Mochokiella paynei
photo by James, A.

Family:  Mochokidae (Squeakers or upside-down catfishes), subfamily: Mochokinae
Max. size:  3.6 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  Africa: known only from the type locality in the Kasewe Forest Reserve (Jong/Pampana River basin), Sierra Leone (Ref. 57223).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal soft rays: 10-11. Diagnosis: outer pair of mandibular barbels with 3, inner pair with 4, long and simple ramifications (Ref. 57223). Coloration: colour pattern marbled; upper side of head dark with diffuse lighter cross-bars; black band between nostrils and eyes, another one ventrally between eyes and mouth; pale interorbital band; dark spots on cheeks and gill cover and dark brown area between dorsal-fin base and lateral line; below humeral process, this pigmentation forms a reticulate pattern; broad light bar behind adipose fin descending to posterior part of anal-fin base; caudal peduncle uniformly dark dorsally, ventrally pale behind anal fin, but becoming darker towards caudal fin; small dark spot at pelvic-fin bases; adipose fin dark, but white-edged posteriorly; all barbels striated (Ref. 57223).
Biology:  Oviparous (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 30 November 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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