Campylomormyrus phantasticus (Pellegrin, 1927)
Species overview
Large fish, moderately elongate, head trunk-shape snouted, snout very long, tubular, compressed, inclination about 45°. Brown, whitish on sides of head and on belly.
Size observed: Live specimen 490 mm, rostrum included.
C. phantasticus(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body moderately elongate, laterally compressed, body depth 18-24 % SL, greatest depth close to anal fin, but only slightly decreasing towards the head. Back and belly more or less straight, upper profile of head strongly convex, smoothly passing over in outlines of both back and snout, underside of head concave.
-Head length, without snout, short, 12-20 % SL, 27-35 % SL, snout inclusive.
-Head depth 14-19 % SL, 69-76 % depth of body.
-Snout or rostrum tubular, compressed, slightly curved, inclination about 45°, its lowest point about one body depth underneath the body. Greatest length of snout 1.5-2.5 times in postorbital length, its least depth about 7 times in its length. (The extreme shape of the snout changes with age/size of the fish, in juveniles it is much less obvious).
-Mouth small, directed forward edge of mouth very far away from nostrils, upper jaw much below head.
-Chin with submental swelling and a thick, conical barbel, about 1.6 times eye diameter.
-Teeth long, conical, 3/5.
-Nostrils separate, anterior circular, posterior oval, below the eye, both at same level or anterior below posterior nostril; the latter in the large specimens about 2.7 times eye diameter away from the eye, in smaller ones about one eye diameter only, Axis of nostrils runs more or less parallel to axis of head.
-Eye small, positioned very close to outline of head.
-Opercular cleft straight, about 35-40 % head depth.
-Dorsal fin 28 rays, anal 31 rays, D originating behind origin of A, ending opposite end of A, base of D 23-24 % SL, base of A 27-30 % SL; predorsal length 61-65 % SL, preanal length 56-58 % SL.
-Pectoral obtusely pointed, its base close to middle of opercular cleft, in length extending to middle of pelvic. V is closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin obtusely pointed, scaled part short. 80 scales in lateral line, 12 around caudal peduncle. Length of caudal peduncle 14-17 % SL, its depth 4-5 % SL, 20-25 % its length.
-Coloration »Uniform brown, yellowish white on the sides of head and belly«.
Type locality
»Nanga Eboko (Sanaga)« (0° 41 ‘ N 12° 22 ‘ E)
Distribution
Sanaga river, Cameroon.