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Synodontis smiti
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Mochokidae
Genus:	Synodontis
Species:	S. smiti
Binomial name
	Synodontis smiti; Boulenger, 1902

Synodontis smiti, known as the longtail Synodontis,^[2] or Smit's Synodontis,^[2] is a species of upside-down catfish that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is found in the middle and upper Congo Basin.^[3] It was first described by British-Belgian zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1902, from specimens obtained in the Ubangi River at Banzyville.^[2] The species name smiti is named for Pierre Jacques Smit, who illustrated the plates in Boulenger's works.^[4]

Description

Like all members of the genus Synodontis, S. smiti has a strong, bony head capsule that extends back as far as the first spine of the dorsal fin.^[5] The head contains a distinct narrow, bony, external protrusion called a humeral process.^[2] The shape and size of the humeral process helps to identify the species. In S. smiti, the humeral process is rough, and rounded or obtusely pointed at the end.^[6]

The fish has three pairs of barbels. The maxillary barbels are on located on the upper jaw, and two pairs of mandibular barbels are on the lower jaw. The maxillary barbel is straight without any branches, with a broad membrane at the base.^[6] It extends a little shorter than the length of the head.^[6] The outer pair of mandibular barbels is about 2⁄5 to 1⁄2 as long as the head, and the inner pair is 1⁄3 as long as the head., both with long, slender branches with secondary branches.^[6]

The front edges of the dorsal fins and the pectoral fins of Syntontis species are hardened into stiff spines.^[2] In S. smiti, the spine is a little shorter than the head, slightly curved, smooth in the front and serrated on the back.^[6] The remaining portion of the dorsal fin is made up of seven branching rays.^[6] The spine of the pectoral fin is as long as the head, and serrated on both sides.^[6] The adipose fin is 4 to 5 times as long as it is deep.^[6] The anal fin contains four unbranched and six to seven branched rays.^[6] The tail, or caudal fin, is deeply notched.^[6]

All members of Syndontis have a structure called a premaxillary toothpad, which is located on the very front of the upper jaw of the mouth. This structure contains several rows of short, chisel-shaped teeth. In S. smiti, the toothpad forms a short, broad band.^[6] On the lower jaw, or mandible, the teeth of Syndontis are attached to flexible, stalk-like structures and described as "s-shaped" or "hooked".^[2]^[5] The number of teeth on the mandible is used to differentiate between species; in S. smiti, there are about 16 or 17 teeth on the mandible.^[6]

The color of the fish is brown, with indistinct darker spots and marblings. Round dark spots appear on the rayed fins, and may appear as bands.^[6]

The maximum total length of the species is 22.2 centimetres (8.7 in).^[3] Generally, females in the genus Synodontis tend to be slightly larger than males of the same age.^[7]

Habitat and behavior

In the wild, the species known from the central and upper Congo Basin.^[1] The species is harvested for human consumption.^[1] The reproductive habits of most of the species of Synodontis are not known, beyond some instances of obtaining egg counts from gravid females.^[8] Spawning likely occurs during the flooding season between July and October, and pairs swim in unison during spawning.^[9] The growth rate is rapid in the first year, then slows down as the fish age.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Moelants, T. (2010). "Synodontis smiti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T182398A7877418. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T182398A7877418.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Synodontis smiti Boulenger, 1902". Planet Catfish. 19 Jul 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
^ ^a ^b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Synodontis smiti". FishBase. June 2016 version.
^ Scharpf, Christopher & Kenneth Lazara (12 Sep 2016). "Order SILURIFORMES: Families MALAPTERURIDAE, MOCHOKIDAE, SCHILBEIDAE, AUCHENOGLANIDIDAE, CLAROTEIDAE and LACANTUNIIDAE". The ETYFish Project. Retrieved 31 Oct 2016.
^ ^a ^b Cuvier, Georges (1934). The Animal Kingdom Arranged in Conformity with its Organization, Volume 10. Translated by Griffith, Edward. London: Whittaker and Co. p. 406.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Boulenger, George Albert (1909). Catalogue of the fresh-water fishes of Africa in the British museum (Natural history). London: British Museum. pp. 461–462.
^ ^a ^b H. M. Bishai & Y. B. Abu Gideiri (1965). "Studies on the biology of genus Synodontis at Khartoum". Hydrobiologia. 26 (1–2): 85–97. doi:10.1007/BF00142257. S2CID 24587047.
^ Wright, J.J. & L.M. Page (2006). "Taxonomic Revision of Lake Tanganyikan Synodontis (Siluriformes: Mochokidae)". Florida Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 46 (4): 99–154.
^ John P. Friel & Thomas R. Vigliotta (March 2, 2009). "Mochokidae Jordan 1923: African squeaker and suckermouth catfishes". Tree of Life Web Project. Retrieved 19 October 2016.