Synodontis acanthoperca, a new species from the Ogôoué River system, Gabon with comments on spiny ornamentation and sexual dimorphism in mochokid catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae)

Friel, John; Vigliotta, Thomas R.

doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1125.1.3

Cited by 17 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Evidence of speciation via sexual selection in African rivers is significantly less well documented than in lakes, but has been demonstrated in a sympatric radiation of mormyrids from the Ogooué River system in Gabon where sexual selection on electric signal pulses is thought to be an important driver of species radiation in these fishes (Arnegard et al ., ). In African catfish sexual dimorphism is considered most striking and pervasive in the species‐rich family Mochokidae (Friel & Vigliotta, ). Adult males may display elongate anal and/or caudal fins (Roberts, ; Friel & Vigliotta, , ), and hypertrophied humeral processes (Roberts, ), while denser aggregations of head tubercles are reported in Microsynodontis (Ng, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In African catfish sexual dimorphism is considered most striking and pervasive in the species‐rich family Mochokidae (Friel & Vigliotta, ). Adult males may display elongate anal and/or caudal fins (Roberts, ; Friel & Vigliotta, , ), and hypertrophied humeral processes (Roberts, ), while denser aggregations of head tubercles are reported in Microsynodontis (Ng, ). As such this is a potentially useful group for investigating the extent to which sexual selection may have promoted diversity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High levels of genetic structure and striking phenotypic variability in a sexually dimorphic suckermouth catfish from the African Highveld

Morris

Ford

Ali

et al. 2015

Biol. J. Linn. Soc.

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Uncovering biological diversity to more accurately understand diversity patterns, and ultimately the processes driving diversification, is important not only from an evolutionary perspective but also a conservation perspective. This is particularly pertinent in Africa's rivers in which overall diversity, as well as how it arose, is poorly understood in comparison with lacustrine environments. Here we investigate population divergence in the sexually dimorphic suckermouth catfish species Chiloglanis anoterus (Crass, 1960) from the African Highveld, in which we observe striking variability in exaggerated male caudal fins across its range. As this trait is likely to be indirect evidence for sexual selection by female choice, a mechanism that has been shown to increase species diversity in different taxa, we used an integrated approach to test if current diversity in this species is underestimated. Results based on phylogenetic inference, population genetics and geometric morphometrics indicate that the recognized species C. anoterus represents five distinct lineages that may be considered confirmed candidate species. We suggest that diversification in these highland catfish has been facilitated through geographical isolation in upper river catchments, and that sexual selection through female choice has probably driven variation in male caudal fin morphology. In contrast to the relatively large range size of the currently recognized species (C. anoterus), our findings highlight highly restricted ranges of the lineages identified here, indicating that these highland habitats may harbour higher levels of endemic diversity than previously thought.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High levels of genetic structure and striking phenotypic variability in a sexually dimorphic suckermouth catfish from the African Highveld

Morris

Ford

Ali

et al. 2015

Biol. J. Linn. Soc.

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“…It is commercially important in the inland waters of West Africa and is one of the species that can be seen in the fish markets throughout the year. Synodontis resupinatus Boulenger 1904, occur throughout most of the freshwaters of the Sub-Saharan Africa and the Nile River [8]. Synodontis nigrita (Curvier and Valenciennes, 1864) is one of the dominant and endemic Mochokids of Nigeria inland waters [9].…”

Section: Synodontis Schall (Bloch and Schneidermentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Food and Feeding Habits of Some Synodontis Fishes in African Freshwaters

Yongo

2019

OFOAJ

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This paper reviewed food and feeding habits of six Synodontis species in the African freshwaters and determined diet with respect to size (ontogenetic shift) and season. The variety of food substances found in the stomach of various Synodontis species from different African waters showed that the species are omnivorous feeders as the diet covers a wide spectrum of food ranging from various types of plankton to invertebrates, plants and small fish. The importance of phytoplankton, zooplankton and insects declined steadily with size of fish while the importance of macrophytes, fish fry and fish scales increased with size of fish. This review showed abundance of food for Synodontis fish in both the months of wet and dry seasons. The high diversity of the food composition in the stomachs of Synodontis fish species indicates a wide adaptability to the food and feeding habit in the water bodies in which they live. The scientific information obtained in this review is important for understanding of the trophic position of the Synodontis fish species in order to maintain proper balance and dynamics of the species in the African freshwaters.

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“…Synodontis spp. are popularly known as squeakers, due to their ability to emit a low grunting sound with their pectoral fin when moved in its socket (Berra, ; Friel & Vigliotta, ; Skelton, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Description of a new small‐sizedSynodontisspecies (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) that is important for local subsistence fisheries in the middle Lufira (upper Congo River, DR Congo)

Ilunga

Abwe

Decru

et al. 2019

Journal of Fish Biology

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Funding informationThis study was made possible by a DEA scholarship to M.K.I. with funding from the Mbisa Congo project (2013-2018), a framework agreement project between the RMCA and the Belgian Development Cooperation. PRODEPAAK (NN/3000769) CTB/BTC project (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013) also provided financial and logistical support to the Katanga Expedition 2012. AbstractSynodontis denticulatus sp. nov. is an endemic from the middle Lufira Basin and its associated tributaries and lakes. The species shows close morphological resemblance to Synodontis greshoffi and Synodontis unicolor, which are widespread Congo Basin and Bangweulu-Mweru endemic species, respectively. However, it differs from both S. greshoffi and S. unicolor by its non-villous skin (v. villous skin), strong and numerous serrations on the posterior margin of the dorsal spine (v. weak and fewer serrations), weak and few serrations on the posterior margin of the pectoral spine (v. strong and numerous serrations), relatively short maxillary barbels (v. long) and its small maximum standard length (89.1 mm L S v. 148.0 and 190.7 mm L S respectively). A DNAbarcoding study (coI, mtDNA) revealed that S. denticulatus forms a distinct genetic clade with a genetic distance of 2.18% with S. greshoffi and 0.84% with S. unicolor.Synodontis denticulatus is caught regularly and abundantly as a by-catch in the gillnet fisheries in the middle Lufira lakes. Owing to its small overall size and large bony head, the species has usually no real commercial value but is an important food fish for the fishermen's families.

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Synodontis acanthoperca, a new species from the Ogôoué River system, Gabon with comments on spiny ornamentation and sexual dimorphism in mochokid catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae)

Cited by 17 publications

References 5 publications

High levels of genetic structure and striking phenotypic variability in a sexually dimorphic suckermouth catfish from the African Highveld

High levels of genetic structure and striking phenotypic variability in a sexually dimorphic suckermouth catfish from the African Highveld

Review of Food and Feeding Habits of Some Synodontis Fishes in African Freshwaters

Description of a new small‐sizedSynodontisspecies (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) that is important for local subsistence fisheries in the middle Lufira (upper Congo River, DR Congo)

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