fins; eye 26.0-33.4% snout length; premaxillary toothpad
interrupted; secondary branches on medial mandibular
barbel present; occipito-nuchal shield covered with skin;
short, flat papillae on skin of body; short gut; hindgut
chamber absent; body depth 18.2-20.1% SL; maximum
TL 150 mm.
 The lack of an axillary pore distinguishes
Synodontis ilebrevis from S. dhonti, S. grandiops, S.
granulosus, S. multipunctatus, S. petricola, and S.
tanganaicae. Synodontis ilebrevis is separated from
S. irsacae and S. lucipinnis and further separated from
S. dhonti and S. petricola by having a greater number
of mandibular teeth (50-66 vs. 15-29 in S. irsacae, 35-
51 in S. lucipinnis, 22 in S. dhonti, and 31-50 in S.
petricola). Synodontis ilebrevis can also be separated
from S. petricola and S. lucipinnis by having dark fin
spines (vs. white). The size of the spots on the body
distinguishes S. ilebrevis from S. granulosus, S.
melanostictus, and S. tanganaicae, and the black tri-
angle at the base of all the rayed fins further separates
S. ilebrevis from S. melanostictus and adults of S.
tanganaicae. Synodontis ilebrevis is further distin-
guished from S. dhonti, S. granulosus, S.
melanostictus, and S. tanganaicae in having the
occipito-nuchal shield covered by skin. Synodontis
ilebrevis differs from S. polli in having a short gut (0.8-
1.4 times TL vs. 4.0-5.5 times TL in S. polli) (Figs. 14,
15), no hindgut chamber (Fig. 14), slightly shallower body
(body depth 18.2-20.1% SL vs. 20.2-27.0 in S. polli),
short flat papillae on the skin (vs. villous papillae in S.
polli), and small, round, widely spaced spots on the skin
(vs. moderate to large, irregular, more closely spaced
spots in S. polli).
 Description. Morphometric and meristic data in
Table 6. Maximum TL 150 mm, SL 120 mm. Body not
compressed. Predorsal profile slightly convex. Preanal
profile straight to slightly convex. Skin on body forming
numerous vertical folds; short, flat papillae present, giv-
ing skin pebbled texture.
 Head slightly depressed and broad; skin covered
with papillae; papillae extend onto base of maxillary barbel
and onto paired fins. Snout with bluntly rounded margin
when viewed laterally and dorsally. Occipito-nuchal
shield covered with skin, terminating posteriorly with
wide, pointed process on either side of dorsal spine; ven-
trally with wide, rounded process that extends to upper
margin of the humeral process on either side of body.
Eyes dorsolateral; ovoid; horizontal axis longer. Interor-
bital area flat to slightly convex.
 Mouth inferior; lips widened and papillate. Man-
dibular teeth 50-66, short, unicuspid; arranged in 8 short,
transverse rows. Premaxillary toothpad interrupted;


BULLETIN FLORIDA MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY VOL. 46(4)

 primary, secondary and tertiary premaxillary teeth dis-
 crete; numerous; arranged in 3-4, 2, and 1-2 irregular
 rows, respectively.
 Maxillary barbel short; extending at least to base
 of pectoral spine; small papillae at base; basal mem-
 brane narrow. Lateral mandibular barbel extending to
 point just past anterior margin of pectoral girdle; with 3-
 6 short, weakly tuberculate branches; usually lacking
 secondary branches. Medial mandibular barbel approxi-
 mately 1/3 to 1/2 length of lateral barbel; with 3-5 pairs
 of tuberculate branches; many secondary branches
 present.
 Dorsal fin 11,7; posterior margin straight to slightly
 concave. Dorsal-fin spine short; striated; slightly curved,
 terminating in short, dusky filament; anterior margin of
 fin spine granulous, posterior margin with small serra-
 tions distally. Pectoral fin 1,8-9; posterior margin straight
 to broadly rounded. Pectoral-fin spine roughly equal in
 length to dorsal-fin spine, striated, slightly curved, termi-
 nating in short, dusky filament; anterior spine margin
 granulous; posterior margin with large, retrorse serra-
 tions along entire length. Adipose fin long, well devel-
 oped, margin convex. Pelvic fin i,6; located at vertical
 through adipose fin base; tip of appressed fin does not
 reach base of anal fin. Anal fin iii-v,7-9,i; posterior mar-
 gin rounded; base located at vertical through center of
 adipose fin. Caudal fin i,7,8,i; forked; lobes rounded.
 Humeral process triangular; granulous; poorly de-
 veloped ridge on ventral margin; dorsal margin concave;
 terminating in sharp point (Fig. 5D). Axillary pore ab-
 sent. Gut short, 0.8-1.4 times body length (n = 8, UF
 160942, 162562, SAIAB 78410). Hindgut chamber ab-
 sent (Fig. 14).
 Coloration. Dorsum olive brown, covered with
 small, regularly shaped, widely spaced, black spots (Fig.
 13). Belly lighter, with smaller, regularly shaped, black
 spots. Maxillary and mandibular barbels white. Iris
 copper colored. Dorsal and pectoral-fin spines dark,
 terminating in short, dusky filaments. Pectoral spine with
 thin, light stripe along anterior margin. All rayed fins
 with black triangles at their base; posterior margins dusky.
 Triangles may be completely solid or composed of closely
 spaced spots. Both lobes of caudal fin with black bars
 from base to tip of fin; posterior margin dusky.
 Distribution. Lake Tanganyika (Fig. 16). Known
 only from the Cape Chaitika area; local abundance un-
 known.
 Habitat. The exact habitat of this species is un-
 known. Like the other small-bodied species of
 Synodontis, S. ilebrevis probably inhabits fairly shal-
 low, rocky coastal areas.
 Diet. Most of the specimens examined were