Hemisynodontis membranacea

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Hemisynodontis membranacea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Osteichthyes
Class: Actinopterygii
Subclass: Neopterygii
Infraclass: Teleostei
Superorder: Ostariophysi
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Mochokidae
Genus: Hemisynodontis
Bleeker, 1862
Binomial name
Hemisynodontis membranacea
(Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809)
Synonyms
  • Pimelodus membranaceus
    Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809
  • Synodontis guentheri
    Vaillant, 1893

Hemisynodontis membranacea is the only species of catfish (order Siluriformes) in the genus Hemisynodontis of the family Mochokidae.[1]

H. membranacea can be recognized by the unusually wide membranes on its barbels that give the appearance of a moustache. These fish are patterned with a few large spots on their body that fade quickly with growth[2]. There is a comb of very small spines near the point of the operculum, but they do not protrude through the skin[3]. This fish may reach 50.0 centimetres (19.7 in) SL[4].

This oviparous fish occurs in deep water close to the shore. It is an omnivore that feeds on plankton and detritus, though May also feed on surface insects, chironomid larvae, benthic crustaceans, and mollusks.[4]

In the fishkeeping hobby this fish may be known as the moustache catfish. This fish is a peaceful fish; though sociable when young, they may become quarrelsome with age.[2]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Ferraris (2007)
  2. ^ a b PlanetCatfish (2006)
  3. ^ Friel, John P. & Vigliotta (2006)
  4. ^ a b FishBase (2007)

[edit] References

  • "Synodontis membranaceus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. Aug 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
  • Ferraris, Carl J. Jr. (2007): Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418: 1–628. PDF fulltext
  • Friel, John P. & Vigliotta, Thomas R. (2006): Synodontis acanthoperca, a new species from the Ogôoué River system, Gabon with comments on spiny ornamentation and sexual dimorphism in mochokid catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae). Zootaxa '1125: 45–56 PDF fulltext
  • PlanetCatfish (2006): [url=http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/cotm.php?article_id=82 Catfish of the Month: November 1999]. Versioin of 2006-JUN-13. Retrieved 2007-AUG-02.


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