All FishesMochokidaeChiloglanidinae ⇒ The genus Chiloglanis

Hop to next section Summary of chiloglanis
Pronounced Kee low glan iss
Etymology Chiloglanis: From the Greek cheilos, meaning lip, and glanis, meaning catfish; in reference to the oral morphology.
Identification The second largest catfish genus in Africa after Synodontis. They are characterized by jaws and lips modified into a sucker or oral disc used for adhering to and feeding upon objects in fast-flowing waters. Generally reasonably small at 100 mm SL or less. species with forked caudal fins can show sexual dimorphism and is usually species-specific. Other characteristics in this hard-to-ID genus are the size of the adipose fin, the position of the adipose fin relative to pelvic and ventral fins, size of barbles, eyes and dorsal fin. Only a handful of species are identified on colouration. They can be distinguished from other African suckermouth catfish (of the genera Euchilichthys and Atopochilus) by their circular suckermouth disc. This is more elliptical in the other two genera.
Size Smallest 27mm, largest 100mm, average 58mm, most commonly 70mm. All SL.
Species There are 70 "species" in the database
New spp. / time
1750 1770 1790 1810 1830 1850 1870 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010 
Distribution

Log in to view data on a map.
Hop to next section Genus Thumbnails