Synodontis petricola facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Synodontis petricola |
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Synodontis
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petricola
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The Synodontis petricola, also known as the cuckoo catfish or pygmy leopard catfish, is a special type of upside-down catfish. It lives only in Lake Tanganyika in Africa. This lake is found in countries like Burundi, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania. A scientist named Hubert Matthes first described this fish in 1959. Its name "petricola" comes from Latin words meaning "stone" (petra) and "inhabitant" (cola). This name fits because the fish loves to live among rocks.
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What Does the Cuckoo Catfish Look Like?
Like other Synodontis fish, the cuckoo catfish has a strong, bony head. This head bone goes all the way back to its first fin on its back. The head is about three-tenths (3/10) of the fish's total body length.
Head and Special Features
The head has a unique bony part called a humeral process. This part helps scientists tell different Synodontis species apart. For the cuckoo catfish, this process is shaped like a triangle. It feels rough and has many tiny bumps called papillae. This bony part ends in a sharp point and is about half the length of the fish's head. The eye of the fish is quite small, about one-ninth (1/9) the length of its head.
Whiskers (Barbels)
This catfish has three pairs of whiskers, called barbels. One pair is on its upper jaw, and two pairs are on its lower jaw. The upper whiskers are straight and long, reaching almost to its chest fins. The outer pair of lower whiskers are about half the length of the head and have four to seven simple branches. The inner pair of lower whiskers are shorter and have more branches.
Skin and Body
The skin of the cuckoo catfish has many tiny vertical folds. Scientists are not sure why these folds are there. However, they are a special feature of Synodontis species that live in Lake Tanganyika. The head also has small, bumpy papillae, but the rest of the body does not.
Fins of the Cuckoo Catfish
The front edges of the dorsal fin (on its back) and pectoral fins (on its chest) are stiff spines. The dorsal fin spine is long and slightly curved. It is smooth on the front and has small bumps on the back. It ends with a short, white thread. The rest of the dorsal fin has seven dark, branching rays.
The pectoral fin spine is also curved and about the same length as the dorsal fin spine. It has large bumps on its back side and ends with a short, white thread. The rest of the pectoral fins have eight to nine branching rays.
The adipose fin is large and has no rays. It is shaped like a gentle curve. The pelvic fins (on its belly) have one unbranched and six branched rays. The anal fin (near its tail) has three to four unbranched and seven to nine branched rays. The tail fin, called the caudal fin, is forked like a "V" shape. Both parts of the tail are rounded.
Mouth and Teeth
The cuckoo catfish's mouth points downwards and has wide lips with small bumps. On the upper jaw, it has a special area called a premaxillary toothpad. This pad has rows of short, chisel-shaped teeth. In the cuckoo catfish, this toothpad is divided into two clear groups of teeth.
On the lower jaw, the teeth are attached to flexible, stalk-like parts. They are described as "s-shaped" or "hooked." The cuckoo catfish has 31 to 50 teeth on its lower jaw, arranged in six short rows.
Special Pore
Some Synodontis species have a small opening called an axillary pore. It is found on the side of the body, near the chest fin. Scientists don't fully know what this pore is for. Some fish use similar pores to release a slimy, sometimes toxic, liquid. The cuckoo catfish has a small axillary pore.
Colors and Patterns
The back of the cuckoo catfish is yellowish to copper-brown. It has large, black spots that are not perfectly shaped. Young fish might have bigger spots that sometimes connect. The belly of the fish is lighter with smaller, irregular spots.
Most Synodontis fish from Lake Tanganyika have dark triangles at the base of their fins. The cuckoo catfish has these. The back edges of its fins are white. Its tail fin has a black bar running through each part. The whiskers are white.
Size of the Fish
The cuckoo catfish can grow up to about 11.5 centimeters (4.5 inches) long, not counting its tail. With its tail, it can reach about 13.5 centimeters (5.3 inches). Female catfish are usually a bit bigger than males of the same age.
Habitat and Life Cycle
The cuckoo catfish lives only in Lake Tanganyika. The water in this lake is usually warm, between 23 to 26 degrees Celsius (73 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit). The water is also a bit alkaline, with a pH of about 8.5 to 9.
Where They Live
These fish prefer rocky shorelines. They live in the shallow areas close to the shore, called the littoral zone. They can be found at depths up to 30 meters (98 feet).
What They Eat
Young cuckoo catfish are carnivores, meaning they eat meat. They feed on tiny creatures like water mites, seed shrimp, and insect larvae. Adult cuckoo catfish eat algae that they scrape off rocks. They also eat small invertebrates, which are tiny animals without backbones.
How They Reproduce
Scientists don't know much about how most Synodontis species reproduce. However, they believe cuckoo catfish likely lay their eggs during the rainy season, from July to October. During this time, pairs of fish might swim together to lay eggs.
Brood Parasitism: A Clever Trick!
The pygmy leopard catfish is famous for a very clever trick called brood parasitism. It lives among piles of rocks where other small African fish, called cichlids, also live. These cichlids are very good at taking care of their own eggs and babies.
What the cuckoo catfish does is amazing: the female cuckoo catfish eats the cichlids' eggs! Then, she lays her own eggs in the cichlids' nests. The cichlids, not knowing the difference, then raise the catfish babies as if they were their own! This helps the cuckoo catfish babies survive and grow.
