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Petrocephalus catostoma

Petrocephalus catostoma (Günther, 1866)

Languages: English

Overview

General Description

Modified from Günther (1866):

Dorsal fin rays: 21. Anal fin rays: 26. Scales along the lateral line: 41.

The form of the snout is nearly the same as in Mormyrus (i.e., Pollimyrus) isidori, the cleft of the mouth being at the lower side of the snout, behind the front margin of the orbit. Teeth small, dilated and notched, forming a complete series round the margin of both jaws. The origin of the dorsal fin is a little nearer to the root of the caudal than to the occiput. The pectoral extends somewhat beyond the middle of the ventral, which is rather more than half as long as the pectoral. The height of the body is contained thrice in the total length, the length of the head thrice and two-thirds. Uniform silvery, back blackish.

Author(s): Lavoué, Sébastien
Rights holder(s): Lavoué, Sébastien

Ecology and Distribution

Distribution

Type from the Rovuma River (Tanzania).

Widely distributed in East Africa. See Fishbase for museum records and localities.

Author(s): Lavoué, Sébastien
Rights holder(s): Lavoué, Sébastien

Evolution and Systematics

Phylogenetic Relationships

Distinct phylogenetic lineage within the Petrocephalus of still unresolved position.

Author(s): Lavoué, Sébastien
Rights holder(s): Lavoué, Sébastien

Taxonomic Notes

Lectotype: BMNH 1863.10.12.4. Paralectotypes: BMNH 1863.10.12.5-6 (4). Lectotype designated by Whitehead & Greenwood 1959

References

Boulenger, G. A. (1899).  A revision of the genera and species of fishes of the family Mormyridae. Proceedings of the General Meetings for Scientific Business of the Zoological Society of London. 1898, 775-821.
Boulenger, G. A. (1906).  Descriptions of new fishes discovered by Mr. E. Degen in lake Victoria. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 17, 433-452.
 
Boulenger, G. A. (1909).  Catalogue of the Fresh-Water Fishes of Africa in the British Museum (Natural History). I, 373. London: British Museum (Natural History).
 
Günther, A. C. L. G. (1866).  Family Mormyridae - Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. Vol 6, 214-224.
 
Günther, A. C. L. G. (1867).  New fishes from the Gaboon and Gold Coast. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (Series 3). 20, 110–117; Pls 2, 3..
 
Harder, W. (2000).  The Mormyridae and other Osteoglossomorpha (CD-ROM). World Biodiversity Database, CD-ROM Series. 2000, New York: Springer Verlag, ETI-UNESCO.
Kramer, B., & van der Bank F. H. (2000).  The southern churchill, Petrocephalus wesselsi, a new species of mormyrid from South Africa defined by electric organ discharges, genetics, and morphology. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 59, 393-413.
 
Lavoué, S., Arnegard M. E., Sullivan J. P., & Hopkins C. D. (2008).  Petrocephalus of Odzala offer insights into evolutionary patterns of signal diversification in the Mormyridae, a family of weakly electrogenic fishes from Africa. Journal of Physiology-Paris. 102, 322-339. Abstract
 
Whitehead, P. J. P., & Greenwood P. H. (1959).  Mormyrid fishes of the genus Petrocephalus in Eastern Africa with a redescription of Petrocephalus gliroides (Vinciguerra). Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaine. 60, 283-295.
FileSize (kb)Uploaded
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Boulenger1909_MormyridaePart1.pdf49002011-03-10T09:44:19Z
Boulenger1909_MormyridaePart4.pdf1763.22011-03-10T09:45:51Z
Günther 1867.pdf4227.62011-02-02T15:46:38Z
lavoue_et_al_2008d.pdf2492.52011-02-28T05:43:08Z
Kramer2000_P. wesselsi.pdf229.32011-03-01T14:06:40Z
Boulenger_1906b.pdf1535.32011-03-02T06:34:11Z