Mormyrops (Mormyrops) lineolatus Boulenger, 1898
Species overview
Large fish, body moderately elongate, moderately deep, head with concave upper profile, moderately tapering, mouth terminal, caudal fin small; brown with dark lines along body.
Size observed: 399 mm SL.
M. lineolatus(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body moderately elongate, moderately laterally compressed, cross section oblong-oval, body depth 16-20 % SL, greatest depth at about pelvic fin.
-Head length 24-31 % SL, head depth 13-16 % SL, 73-89 % body depth.
-Outline of back straight, rather parallel to outline of belly, upper profile of head slightly to strongly concave*, underside of head concave.
-Snout conical, rounded, depth of jaws equal, snout length, 19-23 % head length, 26-32 % postorbital length.
-Mouth moderate, 14-18 % head length, terminal, its edge below posterior nostril, edge of upper jaw on midline of head.
-Chin with moderate submental swelling, lower jaw about as deep upper part of snout.
-Teeth truncate, in closed lines, 16-22/16-22.
-Nostrils separate, posterior nostril oblong, both on a level with upper rim of eye, their axis being parallel with axis of snout.
-Eye located dorso-laterally, its diameter 4-8 % head length, 6-11 % postorbital length.
-Opercular cleft slightly curved, 28-31 % head length, 54-59 % head depth.
-Dorsal fin 29-32 fin-rays, base of D 20-25 % SL, anal fin 46-50 rays, base of A 31-41 % SL, origin of D well behind A, end of D wel before end A; predorsal length 63-69 % SL, preanal length 56-63 % SL.
-Pectoral fin rounded, extending over 2/3 its distance from pelvic fin. V is slightly closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin rounded, scaled lobes covering 3/4 of the entire fin. 80-90 scales in lateral line; 16-18 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle 6-8 % SL, its depth 4-5 % SL, 50-67 % its length. *) The shape of the head changes with age/size of the fish, in juveniles this is much less obvious.
-Coloration »Pale brown, with dark lines along the series of scales«.
Type locality
»Upoto, Congo« Democratic Republic of Congo (2° 00 ‘ N 21° 30 ‘ E).
Distribution
Middle Congo basin.