AquaticRepublic.com - Synodontis polli (Mochokidae) All Fishes

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Close-up of mouth
Close-up of ventral view of head
Lateral view
Lateral view
Moliro
Video - fry

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Synodontis polli** Gosse, 1982
Common Names	Poll's Syno Polls Skægmalle (Denmark)
Type Locality	Lake Tanganyika.
Synonym(s)	Synodontis eurystomus, Synodontis ilebrevis
Pronunciation	sin oh don tiss - poll eye
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. Specifically named after Max Poll, a Belgian ichthyologist who worked extensively from fish from Lake Tanganyika and the Congo drainage.
Species Information
Size	148mm or 5.8" 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. Mouth wide, hence the original name of Synodontis eurystomus, which means ''wide mouth''. Cusp on dorsal edge of humeral process. Adult males are a chocolate brown with numerous black spots. Dull white edging on posterior edges of fins. Barbels short. Juveniles have a lighter coloration and somewhat brighter fin edging.
Sexing	Males are larger and more robust than females. Can be sexed by genital papilla, as per other Synodontis spp.
General Remarks	Nomen novum for Synodontis eurystomus Matthes, 1959, preoccupied by Synodontis eurystomus Pfeffer, 1889. Although the type specimens are from Burundian waters, the species appears to be widely distributed around the lake, with some regional variation in appearance. Schraml [DATZ, 2003] reports possible S. polli variant from Lake Mweru.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Africa: Lake Tanganyika. African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2006.
pH	7.8 - 9.2
Temperature	23.0-29.0°C or 73.4-84.2°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	Clean, stable and hard water conditions, as per other Lake Tanganyika Synodontis. Strong current not necessary, but tolerated.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Ominivore, with a preference for meaty foods. Will readily take flake foods, but should be fed a varied diet, supplemented by frozen and live foods. While spirulina is easily accepted, unlike S. multipunctatus, S. petricola, and even S. dhonti, S. polli will not eat vegetables such as cucumber, zucchini, etc. Plants are untouched. User data.
Furniture	Best kept in larger tanks. Furnish with rocky hiding places. Plants such as Vallisneria are optional.
Compatibility	Compatible with most Rift Lake catfish, cichlids and mastacembelids. All except fry and very tiny fish are likely to be safe. Adult males may fight when first introduced, but aggression ceases once dominance and territories are established.
Breeding	Many reports, but none confirmed. Upon investigation, reported spawnings have been of species other than S. polli.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Cybium 3e série. Bulletin de la Société Française d'Ichtyologie v. 6 (no. 2), pp 48.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 5 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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	Look up S. polli on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up S. polli on Fishbase
	Look up S. polli on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up S. polli on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.13.29.279
Last Update	2024 Nov 23 19:51 (species record created: 2001 Apr 21 00:00)