Hemisynodontis membranacea

Taxobox
name = "Hemisynodontis membranacea"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
superclassis = Osteichthyes
classis = Actinopterygii
subclassis = Neopterygii
infraclassis = Teleostei
superordo = Ostariophysi
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Mochokidae
genus = "Hemisynodontis"
genus_authority = Bleeker, 1862
speciecs = "H. membranacea"
binomial = "Hemisynodontis membranacea"
binomial_authority = (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809)
synonyms =
*"Pimelodus membranaceus"
Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809
*"Synodontis guentheri"
Vaillant, 1893

"Hemisynodontis membranacea" is the only species of catfish (order Siluriformes) in the genus "Hemisynodontis" of the family Mochokidae.Ferraris (2007)]

"H. membranacea" can be recognized by the unusually wide membranes on its barbels that give the appearance of a moustache. These fish are patterned with a few large spots on their body that fade quickly with growthPlanetCatfish (2006)] . There is a comb of very small spines near the point of the operculum, but they do not protrude through the skin [Friel, John P. & Vigliotta (2006)] . This fish may reach 50.0 centimetres (19.7 in) SLFishBase (2007)] .

This oviparous fish occurs in deep water close to the shore. It is an omnivore that feeds on plankton and detritus, though May also feed on surface insects, chironomid larvae, benthic crustaceans, and mollusks.

In the fishkeeping hobby this fish may be known as the moustache catfish. This fish is a peaceful fish; though sociable when young, they may become quarrelsome with age.

Footnotes

References

*
* (2007): Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. "Zootaxa" 1418: 1–628. [http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/library/biblios/2007_Ferraris_Catfish_Checklist.pdf PDF fulltext]
* (2006): "Synodontis acanthoperca", a new species from the Ogôoué River system, Gabon with comments on spiny ornamentation and sexual dimorphism in mochokid catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae). "Zootaxa" "'1125": 45–56 [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2006f/zt01125p056.pdf PDF fulltext]
* (2006): [url=http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/cotm.php?article_id=82 Catfish of the Month: November 1999] . Versioin of 2006-JUN-13. Retrieved 2007-AUG-02.