| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 16-16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 6-6. Diagnosis: Haplochromis snoeksi is distinguished from all riverine haplochromines from the Congo and Quanza ichthyofaunal provinces by the following unique combination of characters: chest partially naked, without scales vs. fully scaled in H. bakongo, H. brauschi, H. callichromis, H. demeusii, H. fasciatus, H. lucullae, H. moeruensis, H. multiocellatus, H. schwetzi and H. stigmatogenys; 16 circumpeduncular scales vs. 12 in H. oligacanthus and H. polli; and an upper lateral line with 23 scales vs. 17-19 in H. luluae (Ref. 85558).
Description: Small-sized species with moderately elongate body, 26.4-27.4% of standard length (Ref. 85558). Snout with convex profile, a little longer than eye diameter, 127.9-141.0% of eye diameter; eye larger than interorbital width, 160.0-190.5% of interorbital width (Ref. 85558). Mouth terminal, with part of maxilla exposed when mouth fully closed; lips thick, not extending to below anterior border of eye (Ref. 85558). Teeth of outer row of upper and lower jaws moderately large, bicuspid; 26-42 in upper, 32-38 in lower jaw; teeth of inner rows of upper jaw in 2 or 3 rows, with a total of 36-64 teeth; teeth of inner rows of lower jaw in 2 to 4 rows of small, closely-set teeth, with a total of 44-68 teeth, tricuspid (Ref. 85558). Shape of lower pharyngeal bone triangular, with lower pharyngeal length shorter than lower pharyngeal width; dentigerous area distinctly broader than long; pharyngeal teeth fine, slightly robust towards posterior edge (Ref. 85558). Gill rakers short, relatively thin and pointed except for the one on ceratobranchial and epibranchial joint and also one above or below joint, which are generally more spatulate or even T-ended (Ref. 85558). All scales ctenoïd (Ref. 85558). Soft portion of dorsal fin rounded with posterior tip not reaching base of caudal fin; tip of anal fin exceeding slightly that of dorsal fin but not reaching base of caudal fin; pectoral fin with 15 rays; pelvic fin with 8 rays, reaching anus; caudal fin scaled only on proximal half of fin and mainly towards upper and lower edge of fin; distal upper and lower corner of caudal fin rounded (Ref. 85558). Caudal peduncle clearly longer than high (Ref. 85558).
Colouration: Live colouration pale brown with dorsal parts of body darkened and flanks lighter in colouration; operculum with a clearly marked black spot; no transverse bars visible on flanks; lower body parts, pectoral fin and caudal fin bright yellow; dorsal fin and pelvic fin light brownish with darker distal edge; anal fin clear, transparent with two or three strikingly orange ocelli surrounded by a translucent outer ring (Ref. 85558). Preserved specimens brownish with sic vertical, hardly visible, dark bands; a dark bar from below anterior third of eye to mouth corner; operculum with a still clearly marked black spot; isthmus, interoperculum and branchiostegal membranes blackish; dorsal part of body and head lighter; pelvic fin and distal edges of anal and dorsal fins blackish; two or three whitish-brown anal ocelli situated between 2nd and 5th soft anal-fin rays; blackish spot at caudal-fin base; all fins dark brownish; caudal fin with small rounded blackish spots (Ref. 85558). |