Marcusenius deboensis (Daget, 1954)
Species overview
Small-sized fish, body moderately deep, head uneven blunt-snouted, outlines of back and belly parabolic, chin with globular swelling; silvery with greenish back and bright belly, a dark band between dorsal and anal fin, continuing on the first rays of the unpaired fins. Poorly known species, see below. Size observed: 103 mm SL.
Taxonomic description
-Body moderately elongate, laterally compressed, moderately deep, body depth three times in its length, greatest depth in front of unpaired fins.
-Head length 4.3 times in SL (~ 23 % SL), 1.7 times in its width.
-Outlines of back and belly slightly convex, upper profile and underside of head convex.
-Snout obtusely pointed, its length two times the diameter of eye.
-Mouth terminal, position of edge of mouth and edge of upper jaw not clearly known.
-Chin with pronounced globular swelling.
-Teeth bicuspid, 5/6.
-Nostrils separate, shape and position not indicated.
-Eye diameter 6.85 times in head length (~ 15 %) and 2.5 times in interorbital width (~ 40 %).
-Opercular cleft not indicated.
-Dorsal fin 27 fin-rays, originating behind origin of A (above the 5th ray of the anal fin) end of D before end of A; anal fin 33 rays; no information available about length of bases of the unpaired fins, predorsal length and preanal length, respectively.
-Pectoral fin obtusely pointed, extending to middle of pelvic fin. V is closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin obtusely pointed with long scaled lobes. 79 scales in lateral line, 12 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle three times as long as deep. (Data from original description).
-Coloration »Silvery, back greenish and belly clear [countershaded], with a transverse dark band between the bases of dorsal and anal fin; this band continues on the first rays of the two fins«.
Remark: Poorly known species, only from one type, which got lost from the collection IFAN, Dakar. Description above after original description and figure.
Type locality
Lac Debo, (15° 18 ‘ N 04° 09 ‘ W).
Distribution
Type locality »Niger River (Debo and Kainji Lakes)«.