Petrocephalus gliroides
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| Petrocephalus gliroides | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Osteoglossiformes |
| Family: | Mormyridae |
| Genus: | Petrocephalus |
| Species: | P. gliroides |
| Binomial name | |
| Petrocephalus gliroides (Vinciguerra 1897) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Petrocephalus gliroides is a species of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae, commonly known as elephantfishes. This species was first described in 1897 by Vinciguerra.[1][2]
Petrocephalus gliroides is distinguished by its unique combination of morphological features. It has a dorsal fin with 18–19 branched rays and an anal fin with 27–28 branched rays. The fish has a large eye, with the ratio of head length to eye diameter ranging between 3.2 and 3.5. The mouth is large, with the ratio of head length to mouth width between 2.0 and 3.7. Additionally, it has 15–21 teeth in the upper jaw and 24–30 teeth in the lower jaw. The pigmentation pattern includes two distinctive melanin markings: a distinct ovoid mark below the anterior base of the dorsal fin and a crescent-like mark at the base of the caudal fin.[2]
Size
This species reaches a length of 15.0 cm (5.9 in).[2]
Habitat
Petrocephalus gliroides is found in the Congo River basin, specifically in the Ganana River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It inhabits freshwater environments and is benthopelagic, meaning it lives near the bottom of the water body.[2]
Discovery
The species was named in honor of the Ganana River, where it was first discovered. The name "gliroides" reflects its association with this river system.[3]