Parauchenoglanis guttatus (Lönnberg, 1895)

Geerinckx, T., Adriaens, D., Teugels, G. G. & Verraes, W., 2004, A systematic revision of the African catfish genus Parauchenoglanis (Siluriformes: Claroteidae), Journal of Natural History 38 (6), pp. 775-803 : 794-796

Parauchenoglanis guttatus (Lönnberg, 1895)

(figure 8b)

Pimelodus guttatus Lönnberg, 1895 .

Auchenoglanis monkei Keilhack, 1910 (new synonymy).

Parauchenoglanis guttatus: Boulenger, 1911 .

Parauchenoglanis loennbergi Fowler, 1958 (invalid name change; see Risch, 1986). Auchenoglanis fasciatus Gras, 1960 (new synonymy).

Diagnosis. Preorbital head length not greater than head height. Barbels relatively short, with maxillary barbel not reaching beyond base of pectoral fin spine; external mandibular barbel normally not reaching beyond tip of pectoral fin spine. Barbel lengths of some juveniles (e.g. one P. monkei paratype) can slightly exceed this general condition. Pectoral fin spine serrated on both margins. Caudal peduncle high, with minimal height of peduncle usually twice as great as horizontal distance between adipose fin and caudal fin bases, or sometimes even greater.

Description. Based on 39 specimens including syntypes (see below). See also table 4. Body and head relatively high (though generally not as high as in P. punctatus and P. altipinnis ). Anterior margin of pectoral fin spine always coarsely serrated from base to tip, with serrae being smaller but usually more numerous than those on posterior margin. Humeral process narrow and pointed (as in P. balayi ). Six to seven (exceptionally eight) pectoral fin rays.

Overall coloration light brown to greyish brown with five or six (exceptionally four or seven) dark vertical bands on flanks, that sometimes appear to consist of very large, merging spots. Small spots may be present between these bands, as well as on head and fins. As in most Parauchenoglanis species , the degree of pigmentation may vary between individual specimens.

Note on the synonyms. P. monkei was probably originally considered to be distinct as a consequence of the fact that the original species concept of P. guttatus (Lönnberg, 1895) was altered when Boulenger (1902b) published his Auchenoglanis key (see ‘Introduction’ for details). Keilhack (1910) presumably had not consulted Lönnberg’s description when he described P. monkei . Except for the longer barbels of one paratype, the type series of P. monkei strongly resembles the P. guttatus syntypes.

Gras (1960) similarly did not mention Lönnberg’s original description when describing P. fasciatus . P. fasciatus supposedly differs from P. monkei in the shorter barbels and the presence of five transverse bands on the flank, instead of the seven to nine he reported for P. monkei . Since the P. guttatus syntypes have five or six bands, and have barbel lengths comparable to those of P. fasciatus , it is obvious that P. guttatus and P. fasciatus are synonyms. No distinguishing features to discriminate the species where found in our study.

Distribution (figure 10). This species is present from the Ouémé River in Benin to the Sanaga River in Cameroon. It is never found far inland (maximal distance from coast approximately 120 km).

Maximum size recorded. The maximum size recorded is 151 mm SL.

Material examined. Thirty-nine specimens. ZMU 567 (two syntypes): N’Dian River (West Cameroon) ; 4°52∞N, 8°46∞E; 49–53 mm SL. ZMHU 17.771 (holotype of P. monkei ): Logobaba ( Wouri River , Cameroon) ; 4°08∞N, 9°45∞E; 84 mm SL. ZMHU 21.318 (paratypes of P. monkei ): Logobaba (Wouri River, Cameroon) ; 4°08∞N, 9°45∞E; two spm, 42–66 mm SL. MNHN 1960-392 (syntypes of P. fasciatus ): Bokoutou (Iguidi River, Benin) ; 6°44∞N, 2°43∞E; two spm, 113–117 mm SL. MRAC P.20005: Yabassi , Wouri River ( Cameroon) ; 4°28∞N, 9°58∞E; 151 mm SL. MRAC 73-29 -P-1451: Yabassi , Wouri River ( Cameroon) ; 4°28∞N, 9°58∞E; 124 mm SL. MRAC 73-29 -P-1452: Bekoko River ( Cameroon) ; 68 mm SL. MRAC 76- 6 -P-278–283: Majidun Creek near Lagos ( Nigeria) ; 6°27∞N, 3°28∞E; six spm, 74–94 mm SL. MRAC 76-32 -P-900: Yewa River at Meko ( Nigeria) ; 7°27∞N, 2°51∞E; 34 mm SL. MRAC 76-32 -P-948: 30 miles N of Buea towards Kumba ( Cameroon) ; approx. 4°33∞N, 9°28∞E; 45 mm SL. MRAC 76-32 -P-955: 27 miles E of Abomey (Ouémé basin, Benin) ; approx. 7°10∞N, 2°25∞E; 41 mm SL. MRAC 76-32 -P-956: Yewa River near Mellem and Ilara ( Nigeria) ; approx. 7°25∞N, 2°48∞E; 68 mm SL. MRAC 80-18 -P-1–3: Majidun Creek ( Nigeria) ; 6°27∞N, 3°28∞E; three spm, 75–127 mm SL. MRAC 84-15 -P-1–2: Umuayara Mba , Etche, Rivers State (Bonny River, Nigeria) ; approx. 4°52∞N, 7°02∞E; two spm, 97–107 mm SL. MRAC 88- 3 -P-32–33: Ikpa River at Uyo (Cross basin, Nigeria) ; 5°03∞N, 7°57∞E; two spm, 92–101 mm SL. MRAC 89-32 -P-17: River Biwole , 18 km from Edea to Kribi (Sanaga basin, Cameroon) ; 3°39∞N, 10°07∞E; 69 mm SL. MRAC 91-1 -P-254: Odieke , Orashi River (Niger Delta, Nigeria) ; 5°01∞N, 6°27∞E; 104 mm SL. MRAC 91-67 -P-162–163: meander swamp near Ahoada (Sombreiro River, Nigeria) ; 5°06∞N, 6°41∞E; two spm, 117–135 mm SL. MRAC 91-67 -P-164–169: Okoso Creek (Niger Delta, Nigeria) ; 5°08∞N, 6°18∞E; six spm, 63–101 mm SL. MRAC 91-100 -P-27–28: Okoso Creek

( Niger Delta, Nigeria); 5°08∞N, 6°18∞E; two spm, 76–100 mm SL.