Synodontis polli
| Synodontis polli | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Mochokidae |
| Genus: | Synodontis |
| Species: | S. polli |
| Binomial name | |
|
Synodontis polli Gosse, 1982 |
|
Synodontis polli, known as Poll's synodontis, is a species of upside-down catfish endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Zambia, and Tanzania, where it is only known from Lake Tanganyika. It was first described by Belgian ichthyologist Jean-Pierre Gosse in 1982, from specimens collected at multiple points along the shore of Lake Tanganyika. The species name comes from the Latin word "granulum", meaning of grain, and refers to the granular papillae present on the skin of the fish's body.
Like all members of the Synodontis genus, S. polli has a strong, bony head capsule that extends back as far as the first spine of the dorsal fin. The head is about 3⁄10 of the standard length of the fish. The head contains a distinct narrow, bony, external protrusion called a humeral process. The shape and size of the humeral process helps to identify the species. In S. polli, the humeral process is wide, triangular, and rough in appearance, with a poorly-defined ridge on the bottom edge. The top edge is convex and the end is sharply pointed. It is about 1⁄2 of the length of the head. The diameter of the eye is about 1⁄7 of the length of the head.
The fish has three pairs of barbels. The maxillary barbels are on located on the upper jaw, and two pairs of mandibular barbels are on the lower jaw. The maxillary barbel has a narrow membrane attached near the base and is straight without any branches. It extends at least as far as the base of the pectoral fin, about 2⁄3 as long as the head. The outer pair of mandibular barbels extends just short of the pectoral girdle, about 1⁄2 of the length of the head, and contains four to five branches without secondary branches. The inner pair of mandibular barbels is about 1⁄2 to 2⁄3 as long as the outer pair, about 1⁄4 of the length of the head, with three to five branches, with many secondary branches present.
...
Wikipedia