BULLETIN FLORIDA MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY VOL. 46(4)


Figure 8. Synodontis multipunctatus (top), BMNH 1982.4.13.4789, 115 mm TL, 91 mm SL vs. S.
grandiops (bottom), BMNH 1982.4.13.4784, 105 mm TL, 81 mm SL. The eye of S. grandiops is
noticeably larger than that of S. multipunctatus, particularly in proportion to the length of the snout.


lary and mandibular barbels white. Iris yellowish to cop-
per colored. Dorsal and pectoral-fin spines brown to
black, filaments white. Pectoral spine with thin, light
stripe along anterior margin. Dorsal and pectoral fins
with black triangles at their base, posterior margins white
in color. Triangles may be completely solid or composed
of closely spaced spots. Anal and pelvic fins white, lack-
ing dark triangles of other Tanganyikan species, single
black spot may be present at base of these fins. Adi-
pose fin with white dorsal edge. Both lobes of caudal
fin with black bar from base to tip of fin; posterior mar-
gin of fin white.
 Distribution. Lake Tanganyika (Fig. 10); appar-
ently common, though less so than Synodontis
multipunctatus.
 Habitat. Likely inhabits littoral to benthic zones
over shell, sand and mud bottoms, as do most of the
other Synodontis species of the lake.
 Diet. No information exists regarding the diet of


Synodontis grandiops. It is likely that S. grandiops
feeds on small gastropods, as do the other species of
Synodontis from the lake.
 Reproduction. It is unknown whether Synodontis
grandiops shares the brood parasite behavior of S.
multipunctatus. In fact, without examining the speci-
mens used in the original study of this behavior (Sato
1986), it is impossible to say whether S. multipunctatus
or S. grandiops was observed in this study. Unfortu-
nately, the specimens used do not appear to have been
preserved. Differences in spawning time are likely to
exist, as one mixed lot (now split into MRAC 39186-
39188 and MRAC 39189-39192) containing specimens
of S. multipunctatus and S. grandiops of similar size
contained gravid females of the latter species, while the
females of S. multipunctatus lack mature gonads.
 Etymology. -The specific name is a Latinized com-
bination of the Latin grandis, meaning large or big, and
the Greek ops, meaning eye, a reference to the in-