or mandible, the teeth of Syndontis are attached to flexible, stalk-like structures and described as "s-shaped" or "hooked". The number of teeth on the mandible is used to differentiate between species; in S. ornatipinnis, there are about 20 to 26 teeth on the mandible. The base body color is yellowish or pale olive on the back and white on the underside. The fins are yellow, with black spots forming into bands. The maximum total 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 is widespread throughout central Africa. The species is harvested for human consumption. 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 growth rate is rapid in the first year, then slows down as the fish age. References External links ornatipinnis Freshwater fish of Africa Fish of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Fish of Zambia Taxa named by George Albert Boulenger Fish described in 1899