Marcusenius schilthuisiae (Boulenger, 1899)
Species overview
Small fish, body rather deep, outlines of back and belly rather straight, head uneven blunt-snouted, mouth almost terminal, axis of nostrils cutting axis of head at an angle of about 30°. Size observed: 115 mm SL.
M. schilthuisiae(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body moderately elongate and deep, body depth 25-35 % SL, greatest depth near anal fin. Length of head 20-24 % SL, head depth 17-21 % SL, 58-76 % body depth.
-Outlines of back and belly slightly curved, upper profile and underside of head convex.
-Snout obtusely pointed, 21-26 % length of head, 36-42 % postorbital length.
-Mouth wide, terminal, its edge below anterior nostril, upper jaw on a level with lower rim of eye..
-Chin with moderate globular appendage.
-Teeth deeply notched, 5/6.
-Nostrils separate, circular, closer together than away from eye, posterior nostril on a level with centre of eye, anterior slightly above, their axis cutting axis of head at an angle of about 30°.
-Eye diameter 12-23 % length of head, 19-42 % postorbital length, 60-95 % snout length.
-Opercular cleft 35-46 % length of head, 44-60 % head depth.
-Dorsal fin 23-28 fin-rays, base of D 20-24 % SL, anal fin 32-35 rays, base of A 23-32 % SL, D originating behind origin of A, ending before end of A; predorsal length 57-62 % SL, preanal length 52-58 % SL.
-Pectoral fin pointed, extending nearly to tip of pelvic fin. V is closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin pointed, scaled lobes more than half as long as entire fin. 42-54 scales in lateral line; 8 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle 16-20 % SL, its depth 4-6 % SL, 20-38 % its length.
-Coloration »Brown, darker on head and caudal peduncle, a blackish vertical band from anterior rays of dorsal to anal fin; fins blackish«.
Type locality
»Kutu, Lac Léopold II, et Stanley Pool«. Upper Congo. (Kutu: 2° 44 ‘ S 18° 08 ‘ E) Lac Léopold = Lac Mai-Ndombe, Stanley Pool = Pool Malebo, 4° 02’ S 16° 03’ E, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Distribution
Middle Congo basin, between Leopoldville / Kinshasa 4°15’ S 15° 20’ E and leftside tribuaries of Congo river (rivers Tshuapa and Ruki) up to Yangole, river Lilanda, 0° 48’ N 24° 17’ E.