Mormyrops (Mormyrops) attenuatus Boulenger, 1898
Species overview
Large fish, body much elongate, low, head moderately tapering, snout truncate, feebly protruding mouth; caudal peduncle short and deep; coloration whitish, finely speckled.
Size observed: 410 mm TL.
M. attenuatus(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body much elongate, moderately laterally compressed, body depth 10-15 % SL, greatest depth middle of body.
-Head length 17-25 % SL, head depth 8-12 % SL, 73-85 % body depth.
-Outline of back straight, upper profile of head straight, underside of head concave, outline of belly straight.
-Snout blunt, rounded, slightly protruding mouth, 15-23 % head length, 23-31 % postorbital length.
-Mouth 10-13 % head length, subterminal, its edge below posterior nostril, upper jaw on a level with lower edge opercular cleft.
-Chin with moderate submental swelling, lower jaw less deep than upper part of snout.
-Teeth truncate, 12/14 in closed lines.
-Nostrils separate, oblong, both nostrils on a level with centre of eye, anterior very close to end of snout; axis of nostrils runs more or less patallel to axis of head.
-Eye in anterior third of head, its diameter 5-12 % head length, 10-17 % postorbital length.
-Opercular cleft curved, 21-29 % head length, 44-70 % head depth.
-Dorsal fin 41-43 fin-rays, base of D 28-36 % SL, anal fin 63-64 rays, base of A 40-46 % SL, origin of D behind origin of A, end of D before end of A; predorsal length 58-67 % SL, preanal length 50-58 % SL.
-Pectoral fin rounded, extending to less than one third its distance from pelvic fin. V is slightly closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin rather small, rounded, scaled lobes covering 2/3 of it. 90-95 scales in lateral line; 16 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle short, 3-5 % SL, its depth 3-4 % SL, 59-115 % its length, dependend on size or age, respectively.
-Coloration »Whitish, finely and closely speckled with brown«.
Type locality
»Upoto« Democratic Republic of Congo (02° 00 ‘ N 21° 30 ‘ E).
Distribution
Middle Congo basin.