number of teeth on the mandible is used to differentiate between species; in S. nigromaculatus, there are about 30 teeth on the mandible. The body color is greyish on the top, white on the underside. The body is covered with round black spots. The maximum total length of the species is . The maximum published weight 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 throughout southern Africa. In central Africa, it occurs in the southern tributaries of the Congo River basin. In eastern Africa, it is present in Lake Tanganyika. In southern Africa, it is found in the upper Zambezi River and Okavango River systems, as well as the Kasai River and the Limpopo River systems. It is found in rocks or vegetation occurring at the edge of rivers to lagoons or backwaters. 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. The fish feeds on detritus, algae and plant matter such as seeds, small fish, and small invertebrates like insects and snails. The growth rate is rapid in the first year, then slows down as the fish age. References External links nigromaculatus Catfish of Africa Freshwater fish of Angola Fish of Botswana Fish of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Fish of Mozambique Freshwater fish of Namibia Fish of South Africa Fish of Zambia Fish of Zimbabwe Fish described in 1905 Taxa named by George Albert Boulenger