All FishesMochokidaeMochokinaeSynodontis  |  | 

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Scientific Name Synodontis nigromaculatus  Boulenger, 1905
Common Names Spotted Squeaker
Sortplettet Rygsvømmermalle (Denmark), Speckled Squeaker, Spikkel-skreeubaber (South African)
Type Locality Lake Bangwelo [Bangweolo], Zambia.
Synonym(s) Synodontis colyeri, Synodontis nigromaculata
Pronunciation sin oh don tiss
Etymology According to Cuvier, Synodontis is an "ancient name for an undetermined fish from the Nile". It is apparently not derived, as often reported, from syn-, together and odous, tooth, presumed etymology of the lizardfish genus Synodus and in reference to the closely-spaced lower jaw teeth of both genera. This specific epithet refers to its black (nigro=black) spots (maculatus,-a=spots).
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 385mm or 15.2" 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.

Body deep, snout fairly short, caudal is forked to around it's center, it's lobes are rounded or pointed. Barbels are long and slender, mandibular teeth 21-43 in a broad band. Humeral process is narrow, triangular, and pointed. Olive green, entire body covered with round brown or black irregularly distributed spots no larger than the eye these sometimes merge to form vermiculate streaks.
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 fishes 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 really gravid. A thin or emaciated female will have just two pink pores, the oviduct and the anus.
General Remarks SA angling record 0.145 kg, Zimbabwe 0.506 kg.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Africa: Luapula System, Moero, Bangwelo, Lake Tanganyika, upper Kasai, upper Zambezi, Okovango, Cunene and Limpopo. Also present in the Zambian Congo.
African Waters, Congo, Upper Congo, Lualaba, Mweru, Luapula (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Congo, Upper Congo, Lualaba, Mweru (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Zambesi, Upper Zambesi (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Limpopo (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Congo, Lower Congo, Kasai (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Cunene (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Congo, Upper Congo, Lualaba, Mweru, Luapula, Bangweolo (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Okavango (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2009.
pH 6.0 - 7.5
Temperature 22.0-26.0°C or 71.6-78.8°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters dH 20. Prefers rocks or marginal vegetation of flowing riverine channels to lagoons or backwaters.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Feeding Feeds on a variety of food including detritus, algae and plant material, insects, snails and small fish, and scavenges readily. User data.
Breeding Unreported in the aquarium, in nature, breeds during the summer rainy season. Eggs are green.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Annals and Magazine of Natural History (Series 7) v. 16 (no. 96) (art. 72), pp 645.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2020 Sep 25 00:39 (species record created: 2001 May 04 00:00)