| Family: |
Mochokidae (Squeakers or upside-down catfishes), subfamily: Mochokinae |
| Max. size: |
16.8 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; freshwater |
| Distribution: |
Africa: endemic to Ogowe basin in Gabon (Ref. 81251, 126042). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Anal spines: -0. Diagnosis: 85-90 movable mandibular teeth, forming a long series; head width 96.6-99.4% HL; postocular length at least 60% of snout length; maxillary barbels without a basal membrane, slightly longer than head length and reaching to base of pectoral spine; dorsal spine prolonged by a short filament, without serration along anterior edge and a few serrations along posterior edge; entire margin of opercle smooth; caudal fin without single dark patch at base of each fin lobe (Ref. 81251).
Description: external mandibular barbels short and simple, internal ones shorter and with branches but not tuberculate; snout rounded; lips well-developed with papillae; humeral process keeled, striated and pointed, longer than deep; adipose fin 1.5 times as long as its distance from dorsal fin and 3.5 times longer than deep; anal fin pointed anteriorly; pectoral spines strongly serrated with twice the serrations along anterior edge as along posterior edge; pelvic fin not reaching anal fin; caudal fin deeply forked, with equal lobes; caudal peduncle as long as deep (Ref. 81251).
Colouration: colouration brownish; caudal fin with some black spots arranged in 4-5 slender transverse series (Ref. 81251). It usually has dark brown or black flanks marbled with, irregularly shaped, light brown markings, but this colour pattern may be less conspicuous in light-coloured specimens (Ref. 126042). |
| Biology: |
Oviparous (Ref. 205). Maximum total length reported as 31.4 cm (Ref. 3202, 81251) seems based on Ref. 82238 (holotype size), but is more likely 21.4 cm based on the holotype picture on the MNHN collection website, which agrees to the maximum standard length reported and observed (T. Musschoot, pers. comm.). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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