Petrocephalus bane comoensis de Merona, 1979
Species overview
Small fish, as far as known. Very close to the other subspecies, Petrocephalus bane bane from which it is mainly different by fewer fin-rays in both dorsal and anal fin. Only known from the Comoe River, Ivory Coast. Head with three aggregations »rosettes«, of cutaneous sensory organs. Silvery with greyish back, countershaded. Size observed: 112 mm SL, 128 mm TL.
P. bane comoensis(measurements)
Taxonomic description
-Body rather small, moderately short, strongly laterally compressed, body depth 34-36 % SL, greatest depth above origin of anal fin.
-Head length 27-30 % SL; head depth 26-28 % SL, 72-82 % body depth.
-Outlines of back slightly convex, outline of belly slightly though stronger convex; upper profile of head convex with a feeble concavity above the eyes, underside of head convex. Bases of unpaired fins running to steeply towards caudal peduncle. (In males anal with a distinct concavity.)
-Snout rounded, its underside much steeper inclined than upper side, its tip on a level slightly above centre of eye, 15-17 % head length, 27-30 % postorbital length.
-Mouth 24-26 % head length, inferior, its edge below centre of eye, upper jaw on a level with lower edge of opercular cleft.
-Chin inconspicuous.
-Teeth notched, 9-12/22-26.
-Nostrils closely together, upright-oval, on a level somewhat above lower rim of eye, axis parallel axis of head.
-Eye diameter 21-24 % head length, 140-156 % snout length, 38-44 % postorbital length. Three rosettes, aggregations of electrorecpetors, on the head. Opercular cleft strongly curved, its posterior rim protruding origin of dorsal fin, 34-40 % head length, 25-43 % head depth.
-Dorsal fin 25-30 fin-rays, base of D 20-24 % SL, anal fin 32-36 rays, base of A 27-30 % SL, origin of D behind origin of A, end of D before end of A; predorsal length 61-63 % SL, preanal length 56-58 % SL.
-Pectoral fin pointed, extending to tip of pelvic fin. V is closer to P than to A.
-Caudal fin pointed, scaled part short. 36-39 scales in lateral line; 12 round caudal peduncle.
-Caudal peduncle 17-19 % SL, its depth 5-6 % SL, 30-33 % its length.
-Coloration »Silvery, back greyish, belly bright, fins colourless« Countershaded.
Types locality
»Comoé, Gamsé, Côte d’ Ivoire«.
Distribution
Comoe River, Ivory Coast (type locality; mouth of Comoé: 5° 15 ‘ N 3° 44 ‘ W).