INTRODUCTION
Catfishes of the genus Synodontis are small to moder-
ately sized fishes (up to 800 mm total length) that occur
throughout sub-Saharan Africa and the Nile River Val-
ley. Poll (1971) divided the genus into eight geographi-
cally defined groups: 1) the northern supra-equatorial
group; 2) the exclusively Nilotic group; 3) the group of
species occurring exclusively in the Niger; 4) the west-
ern supra-equatorial group from the Senegal River to
the Ogowe River; 5) the Congo Basin group; 6) the south-
ernmost sub-equatorial group; 7) the Synodontis of east-
ern Africa ranging between Uebi Shebeli and the Rufigi
River; and 8) the Lake Tanganyikan group (Fig. 1).
 The Synodontis of Lake Tanganyika inhabit mainly
rocky shoreline areas but also venture out over sandy
and shell bottoms (Matthes 1962; Coulter 1991 la). The
vertical distribution of these species is limited to a maxi-
mum depth of 50-100 m in the northern end of the lake
and to about 240 m in the southern end (Coulter & Spigel
1991). These depths represent the lower depth limits of
oxygen and differ with geography due to the fact that
Lake Tanganyika is composed of many sub-basins along
its length, which vary greatly in depth (from 350 m to
1470 m) (Coulter & Spigel 1991; Tiercelin & Mondeguer
1991). Locality data indicate that all species have a
lake-wide distribution, with the possible exceptions of S.
dhonti, S. ilebrevis and S. lucipinnis (see species de-
scriptions).
 Although many different color patterns exist within
Synodontis, few are as striking or as instantly recogniz-
able as the pattern that is typical of most species of
Synodontis from Lake Tanganyika. This pattern con-
sists of dark triangles at the bases of all of the rayed fins
and dark spots on the upper body that may or may not
extend onto the belly. The barbels are typically white,
but may have scattered, dusky pigmentation at their
bases. Body color varies widely and may be nearly any
shade of yellow, green, brown, or gray, depending on the
species. Body size varies widely, from fairly small (maxi-
mum TL 100 mm in S. lucipinnis) to large (maximum
TL 585 mm in S. tanganaicae).
 Male Synodontis have a distinct, cone-shaped
genital papilla (Matthes 1962). Minor differences in body
shape between sexes also occur in some species, with
females having slightly more robust bodies. Opercular
ornamentation has recently been discussed as a sexu-
ally dimorphic trait in some mochokid species (Friel &
Vigliotta 2006), but none of the Tanganyikan Synodontis
species have ornamented operculae. Information on
reproduction in Tanganyikan species of Synodontis is
mostly restricted to egg counts from gravid females. The
exception is S. multipunctatus, whose unique brood-


BULLETIN FLORIDA MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY VOL. 46(4)

 parasitism behavior has been well documented (Sato
 1986).
 Dietary information is slightly more abundant, and
 a variety of prey items are utilized. Most species in-
 clude insect larvae and at least a small amount of algal
 matter in their diet. More specialized prey items that
 may be taken include gastropods, bivalves, sponges, crus-
 taceans, and eggs of other fishes (Poll 1946, 1953;
 Matthes 1962; Coulter 1965-1966, 1991a).

 SYSTEMATIC HISTORY
 Synodontis is a genus of Mochokidae, a family of
 catfishes endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and the Nile
 River valley. With approximately 120 recognized spe-
 cies, Synodontis is the most diverse of any African cat-
 fish genus and, with the exception of Barbus, of any
 African ostariophysan (Poll 1971). Poll (1971), the last
 to revise Synodontis, recognized as valid seven species
 from Lake Tanganyika: Synodontis multipunctatus
 Boulenger, Synodontis granulosus Boulenger,
 Synodontis dhonti Boulenger, Synodontis petricola
 Matthes, Synodontis lacustricolus Poll (Synodontis
 tanganaicae Borodin), Synodontis eurystomus
 Matthes (Synodontis polli Gosse), and Synodontis
 nigromaculatus Boulenger (recognized herein as
 Synodontis melanostictus Boulenger). All but S.
 melanostictus are endemic to the lake basin. The ten
 endemic species recognized in this study can be distin-
 guished from all other species of Synodontis by the pres-
 ence of a black triangle at the base of the dorsal and
 pectoral fins and vertical skin folds along the sides of
 the body. With the exceptions of S. grandiops and S.
 multipunctatus, all endemic Tanganyikan Synodontis
 species also have well developed black triangles on the
 base of the anal and pelvic fins. The triangles can no
 longer be seen in the single known specimen of S. dhonti;
 however, the original description of this species
 (Boulenger 1917) and an earlier examination of this speci-
 men (Matthes 1962) indicate that the color pattern of
 the rayed fins in this species was consistent with that of
 the remaining endemic species of Tanganyikan
 Synodontis.
 Poll's revision of Synodontis, while thorough for
 its time, suffered from a lack of material, and appears to
 have stifled taxonomic research on this genus, with only
 a handful of new species described after its publication.
 The Synodontis of Lake Tanganyika have largely been
 ignored by taxonomists for the last 30 years. Recent
 expeditions, particularly those to the Zambian coast of
 the lake, which has historically been poorly sampled for
 Synodontis, as well as the increased popularity of cer-
 tain Tanganyikan Synodontis as aquarium species, have