PlanetCatfish.com

What do you think?

These arrived as .

They are 4cm SL.

Still working on better pics.


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<img src="http://www.dignall.com/gallery/d/56858-1/DSC_7131c.jpg">

they look like Synodontis afrofischeri!

especially the markings on the back end on the body.

can you supply us with a lateral view (just from the side)?
then we can also check on the humeral.

if these are true afrofischeri, well; it's a genuine Lake Victoria Syno and has been absent from the hobby for far too long.
where did you get these?

I'm not sure if this will help.

I'll have time tomorrow for another photo session.

They are from an LFS in San Antonio, Texas.
They got them through there wholesaler, Dolphin.
The shipping label had CMR which could mean Cameroon, which is their type locality.

I purchased a dozen and they seem full grown at 4cm SL.

Great picture.

the problem is that the afrofischeri hasn't got a good presentation in the catelog; just a little lousy pic and a stamp wich shows a fish that doesn't even remotely look like an afrofischeri.

your last pic shows a clear view at the humeral. now it's one for the ichtyologists.

the reason why I'm thinking it's afrofischeri is the top pic and then the reflection of the lower fish in there.
one of the hallmarks of afrofischeri is the thin light band running down the flank and the inverted 'eggtimer' brown blons above and below. this line is something like the line on Pseudobagrus stenomus.
few Syno's have it, but afrofischeri has.

it makes the fish resemble (vaguely) Mochokiella paynee wich also has it.

the other marks are also there; slender build fish, small, big eyes, big pectorals with brown markings, bigger and smaller irregular brown spots on a light background, long mandibular whiskers and a deeply forked tail.

unfortunately Lake Victoria isn't even near Cameroon.....if they're really from Cameroon, they're something else.
however, very very few fish get exported from Cameroon; maybe it's a mess-up?

I've seen afrofischeri's "in the flesh", repeatedly, but also years and years ago. but they looked a lot like your fish.....

I purchased what was sold as S. marmoratus app. a year ago in Hawaii. It looks exactly like what you have. The problem was that it was app. 2.5-3"SL at the time of purchase. According to the cat-elog, the max SL for S. marmoratus is 1.8"SL. It is difficult to tell what information is accurate as there is very little on the web about S. marmoratus. In studying the pictures of S. afroficheri I could locate, I came to the conclusion (not scientific by any means) that what I had was in fact S. afroficheri. One of the features that I noted between my fish and the photos of S. afrofischeri was the rows of white bumps running down the flanks of my fish. These can be seen in your photo along the lateral line. I can't for certain say what you have nor can I even say what I have, but from what I can see, it looks like S. afroficheri.

What I could find about this species; and check those pix....

Synodontis afrofischeri







Synodontis afrofischeri

There's another thing as well: despite the fact that many Synodontis species share this characteristic, your fish as well as S afrofischeri have a very similar "grained or granular" shield on their head.
something that's also very visible in S contractus for example, but in other species with a likewise coloration (S nigriventris or S nigrita) this is far less conspicious.

Hi

as far as I can see is the anterior part of the dorsal spine heavily serrated, which IMO would make it a Synodontis batesii. This species is found in Cameroon.

David

Good one and i completely overlooked the dorsal......

yes, they sure look alike; the pics in the catelog on S batesii sure match with Dave Rinaldo's fishes.

I've sent a "volunteer" to Jeremy Wright for a positive ID.

it is.

jjwright wrote:Hi Dave,

Based on the anterior serration of the dorsal fin spine, mandibular tooth count, and color pattern, I would say that the Synodontis specimen that you sent me is S. batesii.

Best wishes,

Jeremy