WRIGHT AND PAGE: Taxonomic revision of Lake Tanganyikan Synodontis


Nat. Belge, 7.II1.1947, (2) BMNH 1955.12.20.1855-
1856, TL 150-209 mm, SL 123-166 mm, S. of Malagarasi
delta, offshore of the southern point of the Malagarasi
delta, L. Tanganyika, coll. Inst. Roy. Sci. Nat. Belge,
26.111.1947, (2) BMNH 1955.12.20.1838-1839, TL 136-
214 mm, SL 107-175 mm, opposite the Lugumba R.,
Lake Tanganyika, coll. Inst. Roy. Sci. Nat. Beige,
23.V. 1947, (2) BMNH 1982.4.13:4789-4790, TL 93-115
mm, SL 76-91 mm, Kigonga Bay, L. Tanganyika, coll.
R. Travers, (3) BMNH 2005.9.26.5-7, TL 67-79 mm,
SL 53-64 mm, Mpulungu, Lake Tanganyika (Zambia),
coll. J. Day, 2005, (3) BMNH 2005.9.26.8-10, TL 61-
69 mm, SL 48-55 mm, Edith Bay, Lake Tanganyika (Tan-
zania), coll. J. Day, 2005, (1) BMNH 2005.9.26.11-16,
TL 94 mm, SL 73 mm, Kigoma, Tanzania, coll. J. Day,
2005, (3) BMNH 2005.9.26.19-21, TL 99-106 mm, SL
77-84 mm, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake
Tanganyika, coll. J. Day, 2005, (5) BMNH 2005.9.26.70-
74, TL 71- 99 mm, SL 54-74 mm, Kigoma, Lake
Tanganyika (Tanzania), coll. J. Day, 2005, (2) MRAC
39189-39192, TL 94-96 mm, SL 72-73 mm, Moba (Lake
Tanganyika), coll. Van Maldern, 1932, (3) MRAC 53098-
53100, TL 104-112 mm, SL 79-88 mm, Nyanza (L.
Tang.), coll. A. Testiade, 1937, (1) MRAC 90265, TL
211 mm, SL 165 mm, Albertville, coll. Poll (Expl. Hydrol.
Tang.), 21.XI.1946, (2) MRAC 90276-90277, TL 200-
216 mm, SL 152-166 mm, Stat: 63, offshore from the
Malagarasi, 10-15 km from the coast, coll. M. Poll,
3.II.1947, (2) MRAC 90283-90284, TL 94-236 mm, SL
74-187 mm, Stat. 224, Moba Bay, coll. Poll (Expl. Hydrol.
Tang.), 4.IV.1947, (1) MRAC 90287, TL 207 mm, SL
161 mm, Stat. 250, Bay of Burton, over the bottom of
the bay, coll. M. Poll (Exp. Hydr. Tang.), 18-19.IV. 1947,
(1) MRAC 91608, TL 203 mm, SL 150 mm, Uvira, Lake
Tanganyika, coll. G. Marlier, 1.IX. 1949, (1) MRAC
80538, TL 183 mm, SL 143 mm, Rumonge (L. Tang.),
coll. Buscoin, 1950, (3) MRAC A3-033-P-0050-0052,
TL 75-105 mm, SL 60-83 mm, Magara, route Bujumbura-
Nyanza Lac (Burundi), coll. L. De Vos, 19.10.1994, (1)
MRAC Al-094-P-0054, TL 80 mm, SL 61 mm,
Kasakalawe, Lake Tanganyika, S847.23', E31004.40'
(Zambia), coll. Snoeks, Hanssens, Verheyen et al., (2)
SAIAB 39578, TL 77-85 mm, SL 62-67 mm, Zambia,
Lake Tanganyika; Mpulungu, Musende Rocks,
0846'00"S, 031 51'00"E, coll. 7.VII. 1992, (3) SAIAB
40174, TL 58-96 mm, SL 45-76 mm, Zambia, Lake
Tanganyika; Musende Rocks, 0846'00"S, 031006'00"E,
coll. 05.VIII. 1992, (1) SAIAB 56212, TL 73 mm, SL 57
mm, Kigoma Bay, below Hill top Hotel, Tanzania,
0453'03"S, 029037' 11"E, coll. 08.X.1997, (1) SAIAB
56251, TL 71 mm, SL 58 mm, Jacobsen's Beach, Tan-
zania, 04o54'31"S, 029'36'02"E, coll. 04.X.1997, (2)


SAIAB 56254, TL 82-97 mm, SL 63-78 mm, Jacobsen's
Beach, Tanzania, 0454'31"S, 029036'02"E, 05.X.1997,
(1) SAIAB 76164, TL78 mm, SL 63 mm, Zambia, Mbala,
Lake Tanganyika; Mbita Island (northwest end),
845.18'S, 31005.07'E, 29.II.2004, (3) SAIAB 76175,
TL 56-76 mm, SL 44-59 mm, Zambia, Mbala, Lake
Tanganyika; Musende Rocks beach, 08045.18'S,
31005.07'E, 29.II.2004, (1) UF 160941, TL 127 mm, SL
100 mm, Cape Chaitika, Lake Tanganyika (Zambia), via
P. Hauschner, V.2005, (2) CU 90975, TL 101-103 mm,
SL 77-79 mm, Tanzania; Kigoma; Jacobsen's Beach;
coll. Catherine Wagner, 13.VIII.2005.
 Diagnosis. Axillary pore present; mandibular
teeth 13-29; body with large spots; fin spines dark; 8
pectoral-fin rays; black triangles at base of pelvic and
anal fins absent or poorly developed; eye 44.9-62.0%
snout length; premaxillary toothpad uninterrupted; sec-
ondary branches on medial mandibular barbel absent;
occipito-nuchal shield usually covered with skin; papil-
lae on skin of body absent; hindgut chamber absent;
maximum TL 280 mm.
 Synodontis multipunctatus can be distinguished
from S. ilebrevis, S. irsacae, S. lucipinnis, S.
melanostictus, and S. polli by the presence of an axil-
lary pore. Synodontis multipunctatus differs from S.
petricola in having a large axillary pore (vs. small in S.
petricola), brown to black fin spines (vs. white in S.
petricola), a much larger eye (44.9-62.0% of snout
length in S. multipunctatus vs. 28.7-40.1% in S.
petricola), and an uninterrupted premaxillary toothpad.
This premaxillary toothpad condition also helps to distin-
guish S. multipunctatus from S. ilebrevis, S. irsacae,
S. lucipinnis, S. melanostictus, S. polli, and S.
tanganaicae. The number of mandibular teeth further
separates S. multipunctatus from S. ilebrevis, S.
lucipinnis, S. melanostictus, S. petricola, S. polli, and
S. tanganaicae, as well as from S. granulosus (13-29
in S. multipunctatus vs. 50-66 in S. ilebrevis, 35-51 in
S. lucipinnis, 23-36 in S. melanostictus, 31-50 in S.
petricola, 40-70 in S. polli, 33-49 in S. tanganaicae,
and 28-51 in S. granulosus). Synodontis multipunctatus
can be further distinguished from other endemic
Tanganyikan species (with the exception of S.
grandiops) by its lack of well developed black triangles
at the base of the pelvic and anal fins. Synodontis
multipunctatus can be distinguished from S. dhonti and
further differentiated from S. granulosus and S.
tanganaicae by the presence of many large spots (vs.
spots absent or very small), skin covering the occipito-
nuchal shield, and lack of papillae on the body.
Synodontis multipunctatus is further distinguished from
S. dhonti and S. tanganaicae by the lack of secondary