Marcusenius kutuensis (Boulenger, 1899)
Species overview
Medium-sized fish, body moderately deep, head uneven blunt-snouted, base of dorsal fin longer than base of anal; eye rather large; a dark band between origins of unpaired fins.
Size observed: 201 mm SL.
M. kutuensis(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body laterally compressed, body depth 28-34 % SL, greatest depth near origin of dorsal fin or slightly anterior to it.
-Head length 22-28 % SL, head depth 20-23 % SL, 57-81 % body depth.
-Outline of back more or less straight, upper profile of head convex, underside of head concave, outline of belly slightly convex.
-Snout obtusely pointed, 19-28 % head length, 33-50 % postorbital length.
-Mouth 15-25 % head length, terminal, its edge below anterior nostril, upper jaw on a level with centre of eye.
-Chin with thick globular swelling, directed downward.
-Teeth feebly notched, 5/6.
-Nostrils separate, circular, closer to each other than to rim of eye, anterior nostril on a level with centre of eye posterior on a level with lower rim of lens. Axis of nostrils cutting axis of head at an angle of more than 45°.
-Eye rather large, its diameter 14-22 % head length, 23-39 % postorbital length, 44-82 % snout length.
-Opercular cleft curved 35-48 % head length, 40-58 % head depth.
-Dorsal fin 27-31 fin-rays, base of D 22-29 % SL, anal fin 27-30 rays, base of A 22-26 % SL, origin of D before origin of A, end of D opposite end of A; predorsal length 52-60 % SL, preanal length 57-62 % SL.
-Pectoral fin pointed, extending beyond middle of pelvic fin. V is closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin pointed, scaled lobes obtusely pointed, about 1/3 of its length. 36-42 scales in lateral line; 8 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle 17-24 % SL, its depth 5-6 % SL, 23-32% its length.
-Coloration »Brown, dark in front; a dark brown oblique band between origin of dorsal and origin of anal, covering two lateral line scales; anterior two thirds of caudal peduncle dark brown«
Type locality
»Kutu, Lac Léopold II et Stanley-Pool« (Kutu: 2° 44 ‘ S 18° 08 ‘ E; Lac Léopold II = Lac Mai-Ndombe 2° 10’ S, 18° 15’ E; Stanley-Pool = Pool Malembo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo).
Distribution
»Congo (Lake Leopold II. and Alima River)« Central Zaïre, between ca. 3° 02’ S 16° 55’ E and 2° 44°N 22° 32’ S, Democratic Republic of Congo.