as "s-shaped" or "hooked". The number of teeth on the mandible is used to differentiate between species; in S. obesus, there are about 18 to 28 teeth on the mandible. The base body color is brown, with darker brown spots or dots, which are more distinct in juvenile fish. Juveniles have whitish fins with round black spots. The maximum standard length of the species is . Generally, females in the genus Synodontis tend to be slightly larger than males of the same age. Habitat and behavior In the wild, the species has been found in the coastal drainages of the Bay of Guinea from Ghana to Gabon. The fish has an electric organ that is able to emit a weak electric current for location and protection. It is able to breathe air, which enables it to live in environments with low dissolved oxygen. The species is commercially used as an aquarium species. The reproductive habits of most of the species of Synodontis are not known, beyond some instances of obtaining egg counts from gravid females. Spawning likely occurs during the flooding season between July and October, and pairs swim in unison during spawning. As a whole, species of Synodontis are omnivores, consuming insect larvae, algae, gastropods, bivalves, sponges, crustaceans, and the eggs of other fishes. The growth rate is rapid in the first year, then slows down as the fish age. References External links obesus Freshwater fish of West Africa Fish of Cameroon Taxa named by George Albert Boulenger Fish described in 1898