AquaticRepublic.com - Synodontis nebulosus (Mochokidae) All Fishes

All Fishes ⇒ Mochokidae ⇒ Mochokinae ⇒ Synodontis | |

Lateral view
Ventral view
Dorsal view

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Synodontis nebulosus** Peters, 1852
Common Names	Cloudy Squeaker Newelridge Skreeubaber (South African)
Type Locality	Near Tette [Tete], Lower Zambezi River, Mozambique.
Synonym(s)	Leiosynodontis nebulosus, Synodontis nebulosa
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.
Species Information
Size	150mm or 5.9" 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 slender, tapered, caudal fin shallowly forked, adipose fin not very large. Mandibular teeth 12-24 in a narrow band, pramaxillary tooth pad broad with 24-35 primary teeth on narrow ventral shelf. Barbels short, maxillary barbels with smooth leading edge, branches of mandibular barbles short and stubby. The humeral process is triangular, pointed with convex margin in adults. Brown with large dark brown or yellowish brown blotches on body, fins spotted, ventral surface yellowish-white.
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.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Africa: Zambezi basin, middle and lower part. African Waters, Zambesi, Lower Zambesi (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Zambesi, Middle Zambesi (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Nile (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Chad (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Nigeria Waters, Niger (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Sénégal (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Gambia (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Casamance (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Geba (click on these areas to find other species found there) Guyana Waters, Coastal Rivers of Guyanas, Essequibo, Cuyuni (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Volta (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.
Other Parameters	Prefers floodplain to riverine habitats but does occur in rocky areas where habitats are restricted.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Feeds on typical Synodontis diet of detritus, algae and benthic invertebrates User data.
Breeding	Unreported. Distinct pairing during breeding. Breeds in summer rainy season.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Bericht über die zur Bekanntmachung geeigneten Verhandlungen der Königlichen Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1852, pp 682.
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 is no record of this fish being seen.
Forum BBCode

	Look up S. nebulosus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up S. nebulosus on Fishbase
	Look up S. nebulosus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up S. nebulosus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.13.29.548
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 01:39 (species record created: 2001 May 04 00:00)