Hippopotamyrus weeksii (Boulenger, 1902)
Species overview
Small fish, body rather deep, head about as long as deep, snout protruding mouth, which is subterminal, eye moderate. Dorsal fin originating posterior to, ending anterior to end of anal fin. Size observed: 150 mm SL, 176 mm TL.
H. weeksii(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body rather deep, body depth 31-34 % SL, greatest depth near anal fin; head slightly longer than deep, 23-25 % SL, head depth 21-24 % SL, 65-71 % body depth.
-Outline of back moderately curved, base of dorsal fin straight, upper profile of head evenly rounded, underside of head concave, outline of belly slightly curved.
-Snout protruding mouth, 17-24 % head length, 31-43 % postorbital length.
-Mouth small, subterminal, its edge below posterior nostril, upper jaw on a level with lower edge opercular cleft.
-Chin with moderate submental swelling.
-Teeth truncate, 5/6.
-Nostrils separate, circular, posterior nostril lower than anterior, on a line with lower rim of eye, axis of nostrils at an angle of about 60° to axis of head.
-Eye diameter 19-26 % head length, 34-44 % postorbital length.
-Opercular cleft curved, about 1/3 head length, and 2/3 head depth.
-Dorsal fin 28 fin-rays, base of D 25-27 % SL, anal fin 31 rays, base of A 27-29 % SL, origin of D behind origin of A, its end before end of A; predorsal length 58-62 % SL, preanal length 55-58 % SL.
-Pectoral fin pointed, extending almost to end of pelvic fin. V is closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin pointed, both scaled and membranous lobes. 45 scales in lateral line, 12 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle 16-21 % SL, its depth 5-7 % SL, 27-36 % its length.
-Coloration »Brownish, with ill-defined darker vertical band between origin of dorsal and origin of anal; anterior part of caudal peduncle dark brown«.
Type locality
»Monsembe«. Democratic Republic of Congo.
Distribution
Congo basin.