WRIGHT AND PAGE: Taxonomic revision of Lake Tanganyikan Synodontis


 tos (misidentified), key; 1989:474, 475,476, 479, 481,
 483, skin texture, key, photos (some misidentifications).
 Daget, Gosse, & Thys van den Audenaerde,
 1986:140, check-list.- Burgess, 1989:196, 556, 559,
 560, 567, check-list, photos (some misidentifications).
 Kobayagowa, 1989:14, photo (misidentified). -
 Coulter, 1991 a: 181, 182, table 8.16, diet, habitat, re-
 production.
Synodontis multimaculatus. Worthington, E.B. and
 Ricardo, C.K., 1936:1067, 1077, 1101, note. Poll,
 M., 1946:223, probable absence from Lake
 Tanganyika.
 Material Examined. Holotype, MRAC 130357,
TL 98 mm, SL 82 mm, Kashekezi, N. Lake Tanganyika,
coll. H.Matthes, 3.IV.1959, (9) paratypes, MRAC
130368-130376, TL 40-82 mm, SL 32-67 mm, Luhanga,
South of Makobola, coll. H.Matthes, 3.IV.1959, (1)
MRAC 78-25-P-19, TL 61 mm, SL 51 mm, Cape
Chaitika, S. Lake Tanganyika (Zambia), coll. P. Brichard,
III.1978, (5) MRAC A3-033-P-0013-0017, TL 97-140
mm, SL 78-111 mm, Mahumba, km 36 route Bujumbura-
Lake Nyanza, Lake Tanganyika (Burundi), coll. L. De
Vos, 29.1.1994, (1) MRAC A3-033-P-0012, TL 102 mm,
SL 83 mm, Magara, route Bujumbara-Lake Nyanza
(Burundi), coll. L. De Vos, 8.III.1994, (1) MRAC 96-
031-P-0581, TL 134 mm, SL 113 mm, Luhanga, km 17
(Zaire), coll. M'boko, 8.III.1994, (2) MRAC 94-069-P-
0290-0291, TL 68-89 mm, SL 54-71 mm, Luhanga, Lake
Tanganyika (Zaire), coll. L. De Vos, 8.III.1994, (7)
MRAC A3-033-P-0005-0011, TL 88-117 mm, SL 69-98
mm, Magara, route Bujumbura-Lake Nyanza (Burundi),
coll. L. De Vos, 11 .V. 1994, (3) MRAC A3-033-P-0018-
0023, TL 76-92 mm, SL 61-74 mm, Karunga, close to
Ubwari, Lake Tanganyika (Zaire), coll. L. De Vos,
2.X.1995, (1) MRAC 95-096-P-2576, TL 69 mm, SL 56
mm, 08'20.24'S, 30031.21'E, Chisiki, coll. Verheyen,
Snoeks, Hanssens, Ruber, Sturmbauer, 10.IV.1995, (1)
MRAC A -094-P-53, TL 81 mm, SL 65 mm, Crocodile
Island, Lake Tanganyika (Zambia), coll. Snoeks,
Hanssens, Verheyen et al., 16.X.2001, (1) paratype,
BMNH 1936.6.14.1232, TL 88 mm, SL 71 mm, Lake
Tanganyika, coll. Christy, (1) SAIAB 77881, TL 74 mm,
SL 59 mm, Zambia, Lake Tanganyika; Musende Rocks,
0846'00"S, 03107'00"E, coll. 10.X.1992, (1) SAIAB
56255, TL 68 mm, SL 55 mm, Tanzania; Jacobsen's
Beach, 04'54'31"S, 029'36'02"E, coll. 05.X.1997, (1)
SAIAB 56225, TL 75 mm, SL61 mm, Tanzania; Kigoma
Bay, below Hill top Hotel, 04053'03"S, 02937' 11 "E, coll.
09.X.1997, (1) SAIAB 56232, TL 80 mm, SL 64 mm,
Tanzania; Cave, Kigoma Hotel below Hill top,
0453'03"S, 02937' 11"E, coll. 11.X.1997, (1) SAIAB
56244, TL 79 mm, SL 64 mm, Tanzania; Bangwe, shingle


beach, 0453'53"S, 02935'39"E, coll. 12.X. 1997.
 Diagnosis. Axillary pore present; mandibular
teeth 31-50; body with large spots; fin spines white; 8-9
pectoral-fin rays; black triangles present on bases of all
rayed fins; eye 28.7-40.1% snout length; premaxillary
toothpad interrupted; secondary branches on medial
mandibular barbel present; occipito-nuchal shield cov-
ered with skin; papillae on skin of body absent; hindgut
chamber present; maximum TL 135 mm.
 The presence of an axillary pore distinguishes
Synodontis petricola from S. ilebrevis, S. irsacae, S.
lucipinnis, S. melanostictus, and S. polli. The occipito-
nuchal shield being covered with skin separates S.
petricola from S. dhonti, S. granulosus, S.
melanostictus, and S. tanganaicae, all of which also
have a much larger maximum TL (395, 270, 520, and
585 mm, respectively vs. 135 mm in S. petricola).
Mandibular tooth counts serve to further distinguish S.
petricola from S. dhonti and S. irsacae (31-50 in S.
petricola vs. 22 in S. dhonti and 15-29 in S. irsacae).
Synodontis petricola differs from S. granulosus, S.
multipunctatus, and S. grandiops and further differs
from S. dhonti in having an interrupted premaxillary
toothpad and secondary branches on the medial man-
dibular barbel. It is further distinguished from all other
Tanganyikan Synodontis, with the exception of S.
lucipinnis, by having completely white fin spines.
Synodontis petricola is most easily distinguished from
S. lucipinnis by the presence of an axillary pore and
the lack of light colored patches at the bases of the dark
triangles on its fins. Synodontis petricola also some-
what resembles S. polli, but the white fin spines and
lack of papillae on the body of S. petricola (present,
villous in S. polli) serve to separate these species.
 Description. Morphometric and meristic data in
Table 11. Maximum TL 135 mm, SL 115 mm. Body not
compressed. Predorsal profile slightly convex. Preanal
profile straight to slightly convex. Skin on body forming
numerous vertical folds; papillae absent.
 Head slightly depressed and broad; skin covered
with villous papillae; papillae extend onto base of maxil-
lary barbel and anterior portion of body only. Snout with
nearly flattened margin when viewed laterally; bluntly
rounded when viewed dorsally. Occipito-nuchal shield
covered with skin, terminating posteriorly with wide,
pointed process on either side of dorsal spine, ventrally
with wide, rounded process that extends to upper mar-
gin of the humeral process on either side of body. Eyes
dorsolateral; ovoid; horizontal axis longer. Interorbital
area flat to slightly convex.
 Mouth inferior; lips widened and papillate. Man-
dibular teeth 31-50, short, unicuspid; arranged in 6 short,