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Synodontis comoensis Daget & Lévêque, 1981

Image contributors to this species:

Hippocampus Bildarchiv (2) Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (4) Karsten Mody (2)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Reported to be a rather peaceful species. Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Anal spines: 0. Diagnosis: gill slits not extending ventrally beyond pectoral-fin insertions; post-orbital length at least 60% of snout length; maxillary barbels unbranched, longer than head, without tubercles and bordered by a dark basal membrane; outer mandibular barbels with long and simple ramifications; branches of inner mandibular barbels shorter, thicker and tuberculate; mandibular teeth slender and short, numbering 56-70 (63 in the holotype); denticulations of pectoral-fin spines stronger on inner than on outer margin; dorsal-fin spine long and smooth anteriorly; first branched dorsal-fin ray prolonged into a black filament that may be rather long; humeral process triangular and narrow, ending in a blunt point, not keeled ventrally; adipose fin moderately developed, rounded posteriorly and distinctly separated from rayed dorsal fin; eyes large. Colouration: There is a fundemental difference between juvenile and adult patterns in this species. Juveniles have a yellow body with dark brown spots and reticulations while the adults are more of a grey colour with small black dots in the upper body area. Etymology: The specific name comoensis: –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Comoé River, National Park of Comoé, Ivory Coast, the type locality. Remarks: The two last thumbnail images were photographed by the image contributor at the Côte d'Ivoire Comoé National Park 2005 (Comoé river).

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

Synodontis velifer

Family:

Mochokidae

Distribution:

Africa: Comoé River, Côte d’Ivoire; known only from type locality. Type locality: Rivière Comoé au niveau du bac de Gansé, Parc National de la Comoé (Côte d’Ivoire).

Size:

18.0cm. (6ins)

Temp:

23-25°C (73-77°F)

p.H.

6.5-7.5.

IUCN Red List

This species is restricted to the Comoe River in Côte d'Ivoire. However, there are no major threats to the species and so it is considered to be at low risk of extinction. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern (IUCN 2020).

Reference:

Diouf, K. 2020. Synodontis comoensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2021. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 06/2021 ).
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.
Seegers, Lothar: The Catfishes of Africa. A handbook for identification and maintenance. Tetra Verlag GmbH. 604p.

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

Synodontis comoensis
Juvenile

Synodontis comoensis
Holotype no. MNHN 1980-1636

Synodontis comoensis
Côte d'Ivoire Comoé National Park 2005 (Comoé river)

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