Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Mochokidae (Squeakers or upside-down catfishes) > Mochokinae
Etymology: Synodontis: Greek, syn, symphysis = grown together + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
Africa: upper Senegal (Mali), Niger, Volta and Chad basins (Ref. 57223). Also in the Nile (Ref. 3202).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 36.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 31256)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Anal spines: 0. Diagnosis: gill slits not extending ventrally beyond pectoral-fin insertions; post-orbital length at most 60% of snout length; maxillary barbels broadly fringed, shorter than head, unbranched and without tubercles, but with a well visible, broad basal membrane; mandibular barbels with rather numerous, long, simple and tuberculate ramifications; mandibular teeth very long, numbering 6-10 (10 in the lectotype); denticulations on pectoral-fin spines finer and more close-set on outer than on inner margin; dorsal-fin spine finely denticulate on anterior margin; humeral process deep, granulose, its lower margin convex, ending in a blunt point and not keeled; adipose fin normally developed and distinctly separated from rayed dorsal fin, its posterior margin truncate; caudal fin strongly developed as compared to that of other species (Ref. 57223).
Coloration: general appearance greyish, ventral regions lighter; outer margins of caudal fin black-edged (Ref. 57223).
Oviparous (Ref. 205). Maximum reported size: 400mm TL, 310mm SL (Ref. 57223).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous (Ref. 205). Distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).
Paugy, D. and T.R. Roberts, 2003. Mochokidae. p. 195-268 In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douce et saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, Tome 2. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 40. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgique, Museum National d'Histoire Naturalle, Paris, France and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France. 815 p. (Ref. 57223)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01862 (0.01069 - 0.03244), b=2.85 (2.71 - 2.99), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.8 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100).
