Petrocephalus steindachneri Fowler, 1958
Species overview
Very small fish, body moderately elongate and deep, head slightly shorter than depth of body. Snout longer than diameter of eye, mouth inferior. Head without aggregations of cutaneous sensory organs. A silver-grey band along the trunk. Only known from the types.
Size observed: 79 mm SL, 91 mm TL.
P. steindachneri(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body moderately elongate, strongly laterally compressed, depth of body 30-31 % SL, greatest depth at origin of anal fin. Length of head 29-33 % SL; depth of head 23-29 % SL, 87-93 % depth of body.
-Outline of body from origin of dorsal to origin of anal fin parabolic, upper profile of head feebly concave, base of unpaired fins steeply running to caudal peduncle.
-Snout moderate, 18-20 % length of head, 28-32 % postorbital length.
-Mouth width, 26-28 % length of head, inferior, its edge below centre of eye, upper jaw on a level with upper edge origin of pectoral fin.
-Chin without appendage, inconspicuous.
-Teeth notched, 10/20.
-Nostrils close together, circular, on a level with lower rim of the eye.
-Eye small, 12-13 % length of head, 18-20 % postorbital length. At least one aggregation of electrorecpetors on the head.
-Opercular cleft strongly curved, 33-37 % length of head, 37-41 % depth of head.
-Dorsal fin 21-23 fin-rays, base of D 17-20 % SL, anal fin 27-29 rays, base of A 21-27 % SL, origin of D above origin of A, end of D slightly anterior to end of A; predorsal length 62-64 % SL, preanal length 60-62 % SL.
-Pectoral fin pointed, extending beyond middle of pelvic fin. V is closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin pointed, scaled part short. 39-44 scales in lateral line; 12 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle 17-20 % SL, its depth 6 % SL, 31-36 % its length.
-Coloration Silvery, back dark, countershaded. »A silver-grey band along the trunk«.
Type locality
»?bei Kiperege in dem Bache Msola, der dem Ulanga zufliesst, Deutsch-Ostafrika«. Tanzania.
Distribution
»Rufiji basin, Tanzania (type locality)«.(about 08°S 39°E)