lake fauna. Brichard's (1978) assertion that the species
of Synodontis of Lake Tanganyika are probably not
monophyletic is reasonable when S. melanostictus is
included. More confusing is his apparent belief that the
endemic species flock also does not constitute a mono-
phyletic group. Two characters examined in this study
(rayed-fin color pattern and skin folds) are apparent
synapomorphies supporting the monophyly of the
Synodontis species endemic to Lake Tanganyika.
 A robust phylogeny for Synodontis will permit
comparative examination of many of the unique traits
found within this genus. The functional significance of
the skin folds, axillary pore, and hindgut chamber have
yet to be determined. A study of the axillary pore will be
particularly interesting, as Synodontis is the only Afri-
can catfish genus in which this structure has been docu-
mented. Even if this structure is found to serve an iden-
tical function to the structure found in the other families
(Akysidae, Ariidae, Ictaluridae, Sisoridae), a more de-
tailed study of the composition of its secretions will be
extremely interesting, as this has yet to be examined for
any species. The hindgut chamber may serve in a di-
gestive capacity, as its gross morphology is very similar
to that of a structure found in the Kyphosidae. Confir-
mation of the presence of fermentative gut microbes
and short chain fatty acids in the chamber is needed to
confirm that it serves a similar function to the fermenta-
tion chamber of kyphosids (D. German, pers. comm.).
 Synodontis represents a group for which signifi-
cant research remains to be done. Given the high diver-
sity of species and behaviors found in this genus, its ne-
glect by past ichthyologists is confusing. It is hoped that
this study of the taxonomy of the Tanganyikan species
flock will lead to future studies of these little-known
fishes.

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Funding for this study was provided by the All Catfish
Species Inventory project funded by the U.S. National
Science Foundation (DEB-0315963). The authors would
like to thank Carl Ferraris, Collete St. Mary, David Evans,
and Jonathan Armbruster for suggesting many useful
improvements to this study. We are grateful to Jacqueline
Wright for her assistance during data collection. Loans
and access to institutional specimens were provided by
Jos Snoeks, Mark Hanssens, and Miguel Parrent of the
Royal Museum for Central Africa (MRAC), James
Maclaine, Patrick Chapman, and Julia Day of the Natu-
ral History Museum (BMNH), Paul Skelton and Roger
Bills of the South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity
(SAIAB), John Friel of the Cornell University Museum
of Vertebrates (CU), and Karsten Hartel of the Harvard


BULLETIN FLORIDA MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY VOL. 46(4)

 Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ). This study
 benefited from many discussions of Synodontis with
 A.W. Thomson, R.H. Robins, J.A. Lopez, and J.M.
 Wright. D.P. German provided a valuable discussion of
 digestive physiology and the hindgut chamber.

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