Paramormyrops sphekodes (Sauvage, 1879)

Major Threats

A moderate to small Paramormyrops with five teeth in the upper jaw, six in the lower, 12 circumpeduncular scales, a V-shaped head viewed from above. The head angle is 26° and the snout angle is 49°. The body is elongated, body depth 18.5% SL; the lateral line has 71–75 scales. The head and snout are relatively short, head length 19.6–20% SL, snout, 5.2–5.3% SL. Both anal and dorsal fins terminate at about the same vertical level. The caudal peduncle length is 18.6–19.4% SL; there are 20–21 rays in the dorsal fin, 25–26 in the anal fin. Dorsal fin height is 14.9–15.9% SL, anal fin height is 14.1–16.6% SL. Upper profile of the head rounded, mouth inferior, with the opening extending posterior to the vertical line from the posterior nostril. The pectoral fin does not reach the pelvic fin origin.
Color: in alcohol, uniformly light brown.

Paramormyrops sphekodes is a Lower Guinea endemic. The holotype and one additional specimen of this species were collected by A. Marche in the Ogowe River in or near rapids near the village of Doumé (present-day Lastoursville). Since then many specimens have been identified as P. sphekodes based on similarity with the original specimens.

Western Africa.