''Phyllonemus brichardi'' also known as kapondo or the spatula-barbeled catfish,
is a species of
claroteid catfish
The Claroteidae are a family of catfish (order Siluriformes) found in Africa. This family was separated from Bagridae. However, the monophyly of the family is sometimes contested.
The 9 genera contain 65 known species of claroteids. The family ...
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika ( ; ) is an African Great Lakes, African Great Lake. It is the world's List of lakes by volume, second-largest freshwater lake by volume and the List of lakes by depth, second deepest, in both cases after Lake Baikal in Siberia. ...
. It is only known from the type locality,
which is the eastern shore of the Ubwari Peninsula on the Congo side of Lake Tanganyika.
Etymology
The fish is named in honor of aquarium-fish exporter
Pierre Brichard
Pierre Brichard (2 October 1921 – 1990) was a Belgian explorer and collector-exporter of African aquarium fishes, especially those of Lake Tanganyika.
Discoveries
He discovered new fish species by traveling to different regions of the lake and ...
(1921-1990), who collected the type specimen.
Habitat
It lives under large boulders in shallow water.
Diet
It primarily feeds on small invertebrates and fish.
Description
This species reaches a length of
TL. It has a distinctive appearance, with large eyes, leaf-like tips on its maxillary barbels, and a long adipose fin.
Reproduction
It is also one of the few catfishes that practice mouthbrooding, meaning both parents carry the eggs or
young in their mouths for protection.
, Phyllonemus brichardi in Planet Catfish
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References
Phyllonemus
Fish of Lake Tanganyika
Fish described in 1987
Taxa named by Luc M. Risch
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