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  • Synodontis woleuensis
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Scientific Name Synodontis woleuensis  Friel & Sullivan, 2008
Common Name
Type Locality Ébeigne, Woleu River at bridge on Oyem-Mitzic Road, 1.4500°N, 11.5980°E, Woleu-Ntem Province, Gabon.
Pronunciation sin oh don tiss
Etymology According to Cuvier, Synodontis is an "ancient name for an undetermined fish from the Nile". It is not derived, as often reported, from syn-, together and odous, tooth, presumed etymology of the lizardfish genus Synodus and refers to the closely-spaced lower jaw teeth of both genera. The specific epithet is formed from the Woleu river which the type specimen was caught from.
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Size 51mm or 2" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification All species in the genus Synodontis have a hardened head cap that has attached a process (humeral process) which is situated behind the gill opening and pointed towards the posterior. The dorsal fin and pectoral fins have a hardened first ray which is serrated. Caudal fin is always forked. There is one pair of maxillary barbels, sometimes having membranes and occasionally branched. The two pairs of mandibular barbels are often branched and can have nodes attached. The cone-shaped teeth in the upper jaw are short. S-shaped and movable in the lower jaw. These fish produce audible sounds when disturbed rubbing the base of the pectoral spine against the pectoral girdle.
Sexing First lay the fish in your hand with its head toward your palm and the tail toward your fingers. Hold the dorsal spine between your middle and ring finger so the fish is belly up and you won't get punctured by the sharp fin spines (which hurts - be careful). The genital pore is in a small furrow of tissue (in healthy fish) and will be obstructed by the pelvic fins. Pull down on the tail gently to arch the fish's spine and the pelvic fins will stand and the furrow open to display the genital pore and the anus of the fish. The male has a somewhat ridged genital papillae on which the spermatoduct is on the back side, facing the tail fin. A gravid female will also show an extended papillae but the oviduct is on the ventral side of the papillae. It may also show a little redness if gravid. A thin or emaciated female will have just two pink pores, the oviduct and the anus.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Africa: Gabon and Equatorial Guinea
African Waters, Gabon Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Equatorial Guinea Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Data Deficient, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2009.
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Breeding Unreported.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia v. 157, pp 4, Fig. 1.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2019 Oct 13 02:25 (species record created: 2008 Dec 28 13:23)