Synodontis woleuensis

Species of fish

Synodontis woleuensis

Conservation status

Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Actinopterygii
Order:  | Siluriformes
Family:  | Mochokidae
Genus:  | Synodontis
Species:  |

S. woleuensis

Binomial name
Synodontis woleuensis

Friel & Sullivan, 2008

Synodontis woleuensis is a species of upside-down catfish native to Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.[2] It was first described in 2008 by American zoologists John P. Friel and John P. Sullivan. The original holotypes were collected in the Woleu-Ntem Province, Gabon.[3] The specific name "woleuensis" is derived from the Woleu River, where the specimens were originally collected.[3]

## Description[edit]

The body of the fish is dark brown, with a variable pattern and number of light, cream-colored spots.[2] The ventral surface is light colored.[2] The caudal fin has a narrow, light-colored curved band along the anterior margin.[2]

Like other members of the genus, this fish has a humeral process, which is a bony spike that is attached to a hardened head cap on the fish and can be seen extending beyond the gill opening.[3] The first ray of the dorsal fin and the pectoral fins have a hardened first ray which is serrated.[2] The caudal fin is forked.[2] It has short, cone-shaped teeth in the upper jaw.[3] In the lower jaw, the teeth are s-shaped and movable.[3] The fish has one pair of long maxillary barbels, extending far beyond the operculum, and two pairs of mandibular barbels that are often branched.[3] The adipose fin is present.[2]

This species grows to a length of up to 5.1 centimetres (2.0 in) SL.[2][3]

## Habitat[edit]

In the wild, the species inhabits tropical freshwater environments.[2] It has only been found in two locations, but may be more widespread than is currently known.[1] Specimens have been found in the Woleau River of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and the Kyé River that runs along the border between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.[1]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c Moelants, T. (2010). "Synodontis woleuensis". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2010: e.T181967A7775838. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T181967A7775838.en. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2016). "Synodontis woleuensis" in FishBase. June 2016 version.
3. ^ a b c d e f g "Synodontis woleuensis Friel & Sullivan, 2008". Planet Catfish. 27 Jan 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2016.

## External links[edit]

Data related to Synodontis woleuensis at Wikispecies

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q5516285
* Wikispecies: Synodontis woleuensis
* CoL: 53XT5
* FishBase: 64328
* GBIF: 2344474
* iNaturalist: 113694
* IUCN: 181967
* Plazi: 5A793425-C148-D44A-186A-0D126EA25835
* WoRMS: 1008451
* ZooBank: 881C0121-BDB5-4F91-B486-9BCD3C180E02

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