SYNODONTIS. 461 rounded. Pectoral spine nearly as long as head, moderately serrated ‘on outer edge, very strongly on inner, not reaching ventral. Caudal deeply forked, upper lobe the longer. Caudal peduncle as long as deep. Greyish above, with small scattered darker spots, white beneath; dorsal and caudal fins with small greyish spots ; dorsal filament and upper and lower borders of caudal fin black.
Total length 180 millim.
White Nile.
1. Type. Jebelain. L. Loat, Esq. (C.).
48. SYNODONTIS SMITI.
Bouleng. Ann. Mus. Congo, Zool. ii. p. 45, pl. xii. fig. 3 (1902). Synodontes smitt.
Type (A.M.C.). 2.
Depth of body 42 to 5 times in total length, length of head nearly 4 times. Head 14 times as long as broad, rugose above ; snout pointed, 2 length of head; eye supero-lateral, 5% times in length of head, 1 or 14 times in interorbital width ; lips moderately developed ; preemaxillary teeth forming a short, broad band; movable mandibular teeth about 4 diameter of eye, 16 or 17 innumber. Maxillary barbel with a broad inner marginal membrane, a little shorter than head, extending a little beyond root of pectoral spine; mandibular barbels with long slender
462 SILURIDA.
branches, outer 2 or + length of head, inner 3. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield rugose like the occiput, obtusely tectiform, slightly longer than broad, with obtuse posterior processes. Humeral process granulate, rounded or obtusely pointed, not extending quite so far back as occipitonuchal process. Dorsal I 7; spine feebly curved, a little shorter than head, smooth in front, feebly serrated behind. Adipose dorsal 4 to 5 times as long as deep, 2 to 3 times as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal IV 6-7. Pectoral spine nearly as long as head, much more strongly serrated on inner than on outer border. Ventral not reaching anal. Caudal deeply notched. Caudal peduncle nearly as long as deep. Brown, with rather indistinct darker spots and marblings ; rayed fins with round dark spots, which may form transverse bands. Total length 140 millim.
Ubanghi.—Type in Congo Museum, ‘Tervueren.
1. One of the types. Banzyville. Capt. Royaux (C.). 49. SYNODONTIS NOTATUS.
Synodontis maculatus (non Riipp.), Vaill. C. R. Soc. Philom. 1892, no. 16, p. 2. Synodontis notatus, Vaill. Bull. Soc. Philom. (8) v. 1893, p. 17, and N. Arch. Mus. (3) viii. 1896, p. 108, pl. xi. fig. 2; Bouleng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 323 (1901).
Depth of body 4 times in total length, length of head 34 times. Head 14 to 1} times as long as broad, broader than deep, finely granulate above from between the posterior nostrils; snout rounded, longer than postocular part of head; eye nearly lateral, 4 to 43 times in length of head, 13 to 2 times in interocular width; lips moderately developed ; premaxillary teeth small and wide apart, forming a short and broad band ; movable mandibular teeth hardly { diameter of eye, 17 to 20 in number, Maxillary barbel with a narrow marginal membrane at the base, a little longer than head, reaching middle or posterior third of pectoral spine ; mandibular barbels with long, slender, ramified branches, outer twice as long as inner. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield granulate like the occiput, obtusely tectiform, 14 to 13 times as long as broad, posterior processes rounded or truncate. Humeral process little longer than broad, flat, granulate, rounded or truncate behind, extending as far back as occipito-nuchal process. Dorsal 17; spine a little shorter than head, smooth in front, smooth or very feebly serrated behind. Adipose
SYNODONTIS. 463 dorsal small, 3 to 4 times as long as deep, about 4 as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal IV 7-8, rounded. Pectoral spine as long as Fig.347, head, strongly serrated on both sides, not reaching ventral. Latter rounded, reaching or nearly reaching anal. Caudal deeply forked, upper lobe a little produced. Caudal peduncle longer than deep. Greyish above, white beneath ; a large round black spot on each side above the lateral line and the base of the ventral fin, sometimes preceded and followed by a few others.
Synodontis notatus. Total length 920 millim. Type, after Vaillant (2. ¢.). 4. Congo.—Types in Paris Museum. 1 Ade Ubanghi. Capt. G. B. Gosling (P.). 2-4, Her. & yg. Monsembe, Upper Congo. Rey. J. H. Weeks (P.). 50. SYNODONTIS NUMMIFER.
Bouleng. Ann. Mus. Congo, Zool. i. p. 47, pl. xxiv. (1899), and Poiss. Bass. Congo, p- 324 (1901).
Depth of body 3} to 3} times in total length, length of head 34 to 34 times. Head 1} to 2 times as long as broad, deeper than broad, finely granulate above from between the eyes; snout obtusely pointed, longer
464 SILURID&.
than postocular part of head; eye nearly lateral, 3 to 4 times in length of head, 1 to 13 times in interorbital width ; lips moderately developed ; premaxillary teeth small and wide apart, forming a short and broad band; movable mandibular teeth + to 4 diameter of eye, 8 to 12 in number. Maxillary barbel with a broad marginal membrane at the base, as long as head or a little shorter, reaching root of pectoral spine or a little beyond; mandibular barbels with ramified obtuse branches, outer only a little longer than inner. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield granulate like the occiput, obtusely tectiform, 14 times as long as broad, posterior processes rounded. Humeral process not or but slightly longer than broad, flat, feebly granulate and striated, rounded or truncate behind, extending as far back as occipito-nuchal process. Dorsal 17 ; spine straight or feebly curved, as long as or a little longer than head, Fig.348.
Synodontis nummifer.
Type (A. M.C.). 2ee smooth in front, feebly serrated behind. Adipose dorsal about 4 times as long as deep, 14 to 2 times as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal II 7-8, pointed. Pectoral spine a little shorter than head, strongly
SYNODONTIS. 465 serrated on both sides, not reaching ventral. Latter obtusely pointed, not quite reaching anal. Caudal very deeply forked. Caudal peduncle as long as deep. Olive above, whitish beneath ; a large round black spot on each side above the lateral line and the base of the ventral fin, sometimes followed by a second above the base of the anal. Total length 185 millim.
Congo.—Type in Congo Museum, Tervueren. 1. Ad. Matadi, Lower Congo. Capt. Wilverth (C.). 2. Her. Sankun R., Kasai. M. E. Luja (C.) ; Luxemburg Museum (P.).
Go Nowe Dolo, Stanley Pool. M. P. Delhez (C.). 4. Ad. Upper Congo. Brussels University. 51. SYNODONTIS SOREX.
Giinth. Cat. Fish. v. p. 211 (1864), and Petherick’s Tray. ii. p. 233, pl. i. fig. B (1869) ; Vaill. N. Arch. Mus. (8) viii. 1896, p. 107; Werner, Sitzb. Ak. Wien, cxy. i. 1906, p. 1140; Bouleng. Fish. Nile, p- 375, pl. Ixxii. (1907). Depth of body 3 to 43 times in total length, length of head 3 to 34 te Fig.349.
Synodontis sores.
Mouth of L. No (F.N.). 3.
times. Head 14 to 13 times as long as broad, more or less rugose, finely granulate above from between the eyes, the granulate area sometimes extending on the snout; snout pointed, 14 to 2 times as long as VOL. IL. 2H
466 STLURID_EZ.
postocular part of head ; eye lateral, 5 (young) to 74 times in length of head, 2 to 3} times in interorbital width; lips strongly developed, forming a large lobe on each side; premaxillary teeth few, in 2 or 3 series, a few minute ones behind; movable mandibular teeth as long as or a little longer than eye, 6 to 8 in number. Maxillary barbel with a broad marginal membrane at the base, 2 to $ length of head; mandibular barbels with long, finely tuberculate, slender branches, outer 14 to 2 times as long as inner. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield rough like the occiput, obtusely tectiform, 1} to 2 times as long as broad, posterior processes obtusely pointed or truncate. Humeral process little longer than broad, flat, granulate, rounded or obliquely truncate, extending as far or not quite so far back as occipito-nuchal process. Dorsal 1 7; spine straight or curved, finely serrated in front, coarsely behind, slightly shorter or slightly longer than head, the soft terminal part produced into a short filament. Adipose dorsal 3 to 5 times as long as deep, 4 to 6 times as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal IV 8, acutely pointed. Pectoral spine shorter than dorsal, rarely reaching base of ventral, outer border smooth or very finely serrated, inner border with strong serree. Ventral acutely pointed, reaching origin of anal or a little beyond. Caudal very deeply forked, upper lobe the longer and often terminating in a filament. Caudal peduncle nearly as long as deep. Grey above, white below; rayed fins light, with a more or less distinct dark blotch on the dorsal near its base, and a dark band along each lobe of the caudal ; barbels white.
Total length 380 millim.
Blue and White Niles.
1-2. Types. Khartum. J. Petherick, Esq. (C.).
3-4. Ad. Wad Medine, Blue Nile. L. Loat, Esq. (C.).
5. Ad: Mouth of L. No, White Nile. es 52. SYNODONTIS PLEUROPS.
Bouleng. Ann. & Mag. N. H. (6) xx. 1897, p. 424, and Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 326 (1901).
Depth of body equal to length of head, 34 to 5? times in total length. Head 14 to 14 times as long as broad, granulate above from between the eyes; snout pointed, a little less than 4 length of head ; eye lateral, 34 to 4 times in length of head, 24 to 23 times in interorbital width. Lips much developed; premaxillary teeth forming a short and broad
SYNODONTIS. 467 band; movable mandibular teeth 4 to 4 diameter of eye, 12 to 19 in number. Maxillary barbel with a broad marginal membrane at the base, 2 to 3 length of head; mandibular barbels with obtuse, ramified branches, outer 4 length of head, inner +. Gill-opening not extending downwards beyond root of pectoral spine. Occipito-nuchal shield granulate like the head, obtusely tectiform, 13 to 1} times as long as broad ; posterior processes rounded or obtusely pointed. Humeral process little longer than broad, flat, granulate, very obtusely pointed or truncate, not extending further back than occipito-nuchal process. Fig.350.
Synodontis pleurops.
1 Upper Congo. 3.
Dorsal 1 7; spine curved, smooth in front, feebly serrated behind, nearly as long as head. Adipose dorsal small, 2 to 3 times as long as deep, % to 3 as long as its distance from rayed dorsal. Anal 1V 7-8, pointed. Pectoral spine a little shorter than head, not reaching ventral, outer border smooth, inner rather feebly serrated. Ventral obtusely pointed, reaching anal. Caudal deeply forked. Caudal peduncle a little longer than deep. Brown above, uniform or with rather indistinct round darker spots, whitish beneath ; a more or less distinct blackish band along each lobe of the caudal. ' 2H 2
468 SILURIDA.
Total length 250 millim.
Upper Congo.
1. Type. Stanley Falls. Rey. W. H. Bentley (C.). 2. Her. Leopoldville. Capt. Wilverth (C.). 3. Ad. Upper Congo. Brussels University. 53. SYNODONTIS DECORUS.
Bouleng. Ann. Mus. Congo, Zool. i. p. 49, pl. xxv. (1899), and Poiss. Bass. Congo, p- 327 (1901).
Depth of body equal to length of head, 3% to 32 times in total length. Fig.351.
Synodontis decorus.
Type (A. M.C.). 3.
Head about 14 times as long as broad, as broad as deep, finely granulate above from between the eyes; snout pointed, nearly half length of head ; eye supero-lateral, its diameter 4 to 44 times in length of head, 14 to 2 times in interorbital width. Mouth narrow, with strongly developed lips; premaxillary teeth small and few, in 1 or 2 series; movable mandibular teeth hardly $ diameter of eye, 4 to 11 in number. Maxillary barbel bearing small branches on outer border, some bifid, its length ¢ to once length of head; mandibular barbels with long, mostly