toothpad forms a short and broad band. On the lower jaw, 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. robbianus, there are about 15 to 20 teeth on the mandible. The body color is pale brown, blotched or mottled with darker brown. The ventral and anal fins are dark, the dorsal and caudal fins are lighter. Juveniles show a light streak on each side of the snout, and cross-bars on the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. 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 has only been found in the Cross and lower Niger Rivers. It lives in streams and lakes and eats plankton, detritus, and plants. It is capable of breathing air, and can live in waters with low dissolved oxygen. 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 robbianus Freshwater fish of West Africa Endemic fauna of Nigeria Fish described in 1875