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Synodontis dhonti Boulenger, 1917

Image contributors to this species:

Eccles, D.H. Field guide to the freshwater fishes of Tanzania (2)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: What we thought of a few years ago as S. dhonti in our possession, has been more likely to have been S. irsacae or S. tanganaicae as the only specimen, and the holotype, was collected in 1912. S. irsacae was named as a synonym of S. dhonti by Matthes (1962) but Wright and Page (2006) have declared that S. iracae is a species in its own right as among other differences the latter does not possess an axillary pore whereas S. dhonti does. Habitat: It is found only in one location, Kilewa Bay on the western bank of Lake Tanganyika and it is the type locality for this species, and due to the ongoing unrest in the Dem. Rep.of Congo (formerly Zaire) we may never see this species in the flesh. Etymology: The specific name dhonti: In honour of G. Dhont-De Bie, Belgian East African Expeditionary Force, member of Louis Stappers’ expedition to Lakes Tanganyika, where he collected holotype.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Mochokidae

Distribution:

Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Kilewa Bay, Lake Tanganyika.

Size:

36.0cm. (14¼ins)

Temp:

23-26°C (73-79°F)

p.H.

7.5-8.5.

IUCN Red List

This species is widespread in Lake Tanganyika with no known major threats. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern (IUCN 2025).

Reference:

Eccles, D.H. 1992 FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Field guide to the freshwater fishes of Tanzania. Prepared and published with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (project URT/87/016). FAO, Rome. 145 p.
Haambiya, L. 2025. Synodontis dhonti. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025.
Wright, JJ and LM Page (2006) Taxonomic revision of Lake Taganyikan Synodontis (Siluriformes: Mochokidae). Florida Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 46(4):99-154.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Synodontis dhonti

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