SYNODONTIS. 445 not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipitonuchal shield rugose like the occiput, simply convex, 13 to 14 times as long as broad, posterior processes more or less pointed. Humeral process granulate and striated, not keeled, 14 to 13 times as long as broad, pointed, not extending quite so far back as occipito-nuchal process. Dorsal I 7; spine 3 to 3 as long as head, feebly curved, striated, smooth in front, serrated behind. Adipose dorsal 5 to 4 times as long as deep, 14 to 24 times as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal 1V 7, obtusely pointed in front. Pectoral spine a little shorter than head, strongly serrated on both sides. Ventral not reaching anal. Caudal fin deeply notched, crescentic, upper lobe the longer and more or less produced. Caudal peduncle nearly as long as deep. Yellowish or pale olive above with large rounded dark spots, white beneath; rayed fins (except pectoral) yellow, with black spots confluent into transverse bands; on the caudal, these bands forming crescents inversely to the shape of the fin.
Total length 200 millim.
Congo, Angola, Lake Mweru.—Types in Congo Museum, Tervueren. 1-2. Types. Coquilhatville, Upp. Congo. M. P. Delhez (C.), 3. Yg. Quanza R., Angola. Dr. W. J. Ansorge (C.).
4. Ad., skin. L. Mweru. Sir A. Sharpe (P.).
36. SYNODONTIS SOLONT, Bouleng. Ann. Mus. Congo, Zool. i. p. 110, pl. xii, fig. 1 (1899), and Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 320 (1901), Depth of body 5 times in total length, length of head 32 times. Head 14 times as long as broad, finely granulate above ; snout obtusely pointed, nearly 14 times as long as postocular part of head; eye superolateral, 6 times in length of head, not quite twice in interorbital width ; lips moderately developed ; preemaxillary teeth in 3 or 4 irregular transverse series; movable mandibular teeth about 4 diameter of eye, 18 to 20 in number, Maxillary barbel with a broad marginal membrane at base, as long as head, not reaching middle of pectoral spine ; mandibular barbels with short ramified branches, outer nearly twice as long as inner. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield rough like the occiput, simply convex, 14 to 14 times as long as broad, with rounded posterior processes. Humeral process granulate and striate, much longer than broad, acutely pointed,
446 SILURIDZ.
not extending quite so far back as occipito-nuchal process. Dorsal 17; spine a little shorter than head, striated, smooth in front, very feebly serrated behind. Adipose dorsal 45 times as long as deep, 24 times as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal III 7, obtusely pointed in front. Pectoral spine as long as dorsal, not reaching ventral, moderately serrated on outer border, very strongly on inner. Ventral not reaching Fig.334.
Synodontis solont.
Type (A. M. C.).
anal. Caudal deeply forked. Caudal peduncle deeper than long. Olive-grey above, marbled with brown, white beneath; dorsal and caudal fins with round brown spots.
Total length 130 millim.
Congo.—Type in Congo Museum, Tervueren, 1, One of the types, Congo. Brussels University.
SYNODONTIS. 447 37. SYNODONTIS GUTTATUS.
Giinth. Ann. & Mag. N. H. (3) xv. 1865, p. 452; Vaill. N. Arch. Mus. (3) viii. 1896, p. 140 (part.). , Depth of body 5 times in total length, length of head 4 times. Head 12 times as long as broad, strongly rugose from between the eyes; snout acutely pointed, 24 times postorbital part of head ; eye superolateral, 85 times in length of head, 3 times in interorbital width ; lips moderately developed ; premaxillary teeth forming a broad crescentic band; movable mandibular teeth 2 diameter of eye, 30 in number. Maxillary barbel not margined, nearly # length of head, not reaching pectoral spine ; outer mandibular barbel twice as long as inner, with Fig.335.
Synodontis guttatus.
Type. 4.
simple branches, inner with ramified branches. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield rugose like the occiput, convex, 14 times as long as broad, with obtuse posterior processes. Humeral process not keeled, much longer than broad, acutely pointed, not extending quite so far back as occipitonuchal process. Dorsal I 7; spine # length of head, striated, smooth in front, very feebly serrated behind. Adipose dorsal 3 times as long as deep, a little shorter than its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal III 8, pointed in front. Pectoral spine as long as dorsal, granulate on outer border, feebly serrated on inner border. Caudal deeply notched. Caudal
448 SILURID®.
peduncle longer than deep. Brown, covered with small round dark spots.
Total length 600 millim.
Niger.
1. Type, stuffed. Niger. Mr. J. T. Dalton (C.). The following specimens are referred provisionally and with doubt to this species :— 2-4. Yo. Ogun R. at Aro, Lagos. Major G. E. Bruce (P.). 38. SYNODONTIS LONGIROSTRIS.
Bouleng. Ann. Mus. Congo, Zool. ii. p. 44, pl. xii. fig. 2 (1902). Depth of body 43 times in total length, head 3 times. Head 14 times as long as broad, rugose above from between the eyes; snout obtusely pointed, twice as long as postocular part of head; eye supero-lateral, 54 times in length of head, 1g times in interorbital width; lips rather Fig.336.
Synodontis longirostris.
Type (A.M. C.). 2.
strongly developed; premaxillary teeth forming a short, broad band ; movable mandibular teeth about 4 diameter of eye, 24 in number. Maxillary barbel not margined, $ length of head, barely reaching root of pectoral spine ; outer mandibular barbel not quite twice as long as
SYNODONTIS. 449 inner, both with short and mostly bifid branches. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield rough like the occiput, simply convex, longer than broad, with obtuse posterior processes. Humeral process with vermicular rugosities, much longer than broad, acutely pointed, not extending quite so far back as occipito-nuchal process. Dorsal 17; spine feebly curved, about # length of head, striated, smooth in front, feebly striated behind. Adipose dorsal 3 times as long as deep, as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal IV 6, obtusely pointed in front. Pectoral spine slightly longer than dorsal, rather strongly serrated on outer border, more strongly still on inner. Ventral reaching anal. Caudal deeply notched. Caudal peduncle slightly longer than deep. Olive-brown above, with large round black spots, these spots forming three series on the body.
Total length 155 millim.
Yembe River, Ubanghi.—Type in Congo Museum, Tervueren. 39. SYNODONTIS LABEO.
Giinth. Ann. & Mag. N. H. (3) xv. 1865, p. 453.
Depth of body 43 times in total length, length of head 34 times. =oGay Fig.337.
Synodontis labeo.
Type. +.
Head 13 times as long as broad, rugose, granulate: above; snout nearly twice as long as postocular part of head, terminating in a VOL. Il. 26
450 SILURID.&.
globular swelling; eye supero-lateral, 10 times in length of head, 4 times in interorbital width; lips strongly developed ; chin swollen ; premaxillary teeth forming a short and broad band; movable mandibular teeth minute, reduced to a few. Maxillary barbel not margined, # length of head, reaching base of pectoral spine; mandibular barbels with long slender branches. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield granulate like the occiput, convex, 13 times as long as broad, with obtuse posterior processes. Humeral process longer than broad, rugose, obtusely pointed, not extending so far back as occipito-nuchal shield. Dorsal 17: spine not quite $ length of head, striated, feebly granulate in front at the base, very feebly serrated behind. Adipose dorsal 7 times as long as deep, nearly twice as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal III 9, pointed in front. Pectoral spine as long as dorsal, not serrated. Ventral not reaching anal. Caudal deeply notched. Caudal peduncle a little longer than deep. Brownish, with numerous round darker spots.
Total length 720 millim.
Niger.
1. Type, stuffed. Niger. Mr. J. T. Dalton (C.).
40. SYNODONTIS VAILLANTI.
Synodontis labeo, part., Vaill. N. Arch. Mus. (8) vill. 1896, p. 112, pl. xii. fig.2.
Synodontis vaillanti, Boulene. Ann. & Mag. N. H. (6) xx. 1897, p. 424, and Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 319 (1901).
Depth of body 43 times in total length, length of head 54 times. Head 14 times as long as broad, strongly rugose from between the eyes ; snout 1} times postocular part of head, terminating in a spatulate expansion ; eye supero-lateral, 8} times in length of head, 34 times in interorbital width ; lips much developed; premaxillary teeth in several series ; movable mandibular teeth not quite 4 diameter of eye, 8 or 9 in number. Maxillary barbel not margined, } length of head; outer mandibular barbel as long as maxillary, with short simple branches, inner a little shorter and with bifid branches. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield rugose like the occiput, feebly tectiform, 1} times as long as
SYNODONTIS. 451 broad, with obtuse posterior processes. Humeral process with granular and vermicular rugosities, obtusely pointed, not extending so far back as occipito-nuchal process. Dor- NIG EISE sal I 7; spine 2 length of head, curved, striated, smooth in front, feebly serrated behind. Adipose dorsal low, its base 2 its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal IV 8. Pectoral spine as long as dorsal, scarcely serrated on outer border, rather feebly on inner. Caudal Synodontis vurllanti.
Type, after Vaillant (/.¢.). +. deeply notched. Brownish, with darker roundish spots. Total length 580 millim.
Upper Ubanghi.—Type (stuffed) in Paris Museum. 41. SYNODONTIS XIPHIAS.
Giinth. Cat. Fish. vy. p. 215 (1864), and Study Fish. p. 573, fig. (1880); Vaill. N. Arch. Mus. (3) viii. 1896, p. 117. Depth of body 4 times in total length, length of lead 3 times. Head nearly twice as long as bread, rugose, granulate above from between the eyes; snout 25 times as long as postocular part of head, terminating in an acutely pointed appendage; eye supero-lateral, 10 times in length of head, 23 times in interorbital width; lips moderately developed; premaxillary teeth forming a short and broad band; movable mandibular teeth minute, 8 in number. Maxillary 262
452, SILURID.
| _barbel not margined, $ length of head, not quite reaching root of pectoral spine; mandibular barbels with long slender branches. Gillopening. not. extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Oceipito-nuchal shield granulate like the occiput, convex, 13 times as long as broad, with obtuse posterior processes. Humeral process much longer than broad, granulate, pointed, not extending so far back as occipito-nuchal shield. Dorsal 17; spine striated, feebly granulate in front at the base. Adipose dorsal 43 times as long as deep, 13 times as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal IV 8, pointed in front. Pectoral spine length of head, granulate on outer border, rather feebly Fig.839.
Synodontis xiphias.
Type. +.
serrated on inner border. Ventral not reaching anal. Caudal deeply notched. Caudal peduncle as long as deep. Uniform brownish. Total length 580 millim.
Niger.
1. Type, stuffed. Niger. Mr. J. T. Dalton (C.).
42. SYNODONTIS GRESHOFFI.
Schilthuis, Tijdschr. Nederl. Dierk. Ver. (2) iii. 1891, p. 87 ; Bouleng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 316 (1901).
Synodontis afro-fischeri (non Hilgend.), Vaill. N. Arch. Mus. (3) viii. 1896, p. 152, _ pi. xiv. fig. 2.
Depth of body equal to or a little greater than length of head, 3 to