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Malapterurus punctatus Norris, 2002

Image contributors to this species:

Christian Fry (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10; Vertebrae: 38 - 39. Diagnosis: tooth patches broad; 8-10 anal-fin rays; 20 caudal-fin rays (nearly always ii-7-8-iii); 38-39 vertebrae; body and head only slightly depressed; snout and head relatively blunt (in dorsal and lateral profile); eyes more or less lateral; body coloured in shades of grey; lower lip and underside of head not especially darkened or stippled; dorsum and flank finely spotted; paired fins frequently spotted in adults; caudal fin darkly pigmented with a pale distal margin, but no pale basal crescent (young up to 70mm SL have a pale spot at the base of the caudal fin but no well-developed crescent or bar). Etymology: The specific name is from the Latin "punctum" = little spot, in reference to the finely spotted dorsum and flank typical of this species.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

Malapterurus electricus (non-Gmelin, 1789)

Family:

Malapteruridae

Distribution:

Africa: St. Paul (or Diani) River system (Sierra Leone) to the Cavally River system (Liberia/Ivory Coast). Also reported from the Waanje River (Sierra Leone).

Size:

21.5cm. (8½ins)

Temp:

23-30°C (73-87°F)

p.H.

6.5-7.2.

Reference:

Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 06/2018 ).
Norris, S.M., 2002. A revision of the African electric catfishes, family Malapteruridae (Teleostei, Siluriformes), with erection of a new genus and descriptions of fourteen new species, and an annotated bibliography. Ann. Mus. R. Afr. Centr., Sci. Zool., 289:155 p.

Family: Malapteruridae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails

Malapterurus punctatus

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