Marcusenius ntemensis (Pellegrin, 1927)
Species overview
Medium-sized fish, body elongate, moderately laterally compressed, moderately deep, head quite long, blunt-snouted, bent down, underside of head clearly concave, eye small; uniform brown. Size observed: 250 mm SL.
M. ntemensis(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body elongate, moderately laterally compressed, depth of body 23 % SL, greatest depth near pelvic fin.
-Head longer than deep. tapering towards snout, length of head 27 % SL, depth of head 19 % SL, 81 % depth of body.
-Outline of back straight, upper profile of head convex, underside of head deeply concave, outline of belly straight.
-Snout rounded, long, blunt, slightly tapering, 24 % length of head, 64 % postorbital length.
-Mouth terminal,12 % length of head, its edge far away from level of anterior nostril, upper jaw on a level with lower edge opercular cleft.
-Chin with pronounced globular swelling, directed downward.
-Teeth truncate, 5/9.
-Nostrils separate, circular, about half away from each other than from rim of the eye as well as from outline of snout; anterior nostril on a level with lower rim of lens, posterior nostril on a level below lower rim of eye; axis of nostrils cutting axis of head at an angle of about 45°.
-Eye small, its diameter 5 % length of head, 14 % postorbital length.
-Opercular cleft straight 35 % length of head, 50 % depth of head.
-Dorsal fin short, 20 fin-rays, base of D 17 % SL, anal fin 29 rays, base of A 25 % SL, origin of D behind origin of A, end of D before end of A; predorsal length 68 % SL, preanal length 61 % SL.
-Pectoral fin obtusely pointed, extending beyond middle of pelvic fin. V is closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin rounded, scaled lobe s wide, rounded, about half as long as entire fin. 65 scales in lateral line; 12 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle 15 % SL, its depth 6 % SL, 38 % its length.
-Coloration Uniform light brown, head partly yellowish.
Type locality
»Nyabessan (Ntem)« Cameroon. (Ntem: 02° 10 ‘ N 09° 67 ‘ E.)
Distribution
Ntem River, Cameroon, type locality.