Paramphilius baudoni (Pellegrin, 1928) Paul H. Skelton, 2007

Paul H. Skelton, 2007, New species of the amphiliid catfish genera Amphilius, Doumea and Phractura and the taxonomy of Paramphilius from West Central Africa (Siluriformes, Amphiliidae)., Zootaxa 1578, pp. 41-68 : 56-58

Paramphilius baudoni (Pellegrin, 1928) (Fig. 7), new combination

Synonymy. Amphilius baudoni Pellegrin, 1928 : 453-454.

Amphilius baudoni var. uniformis Pellegrin, 1930 : 200.

Paramphilius goodi Harry, 1953 : 203-207.

Type material examined. Amphilius baudoni : Lectotype, MNHN 1928-224, SL 48-68 mm, Passa River, tributary of the Ogowe River, Gabon, A. Baudon, 22 November 1928 ; 3 Paralectotypes, 2, MNHN 1928-225-226, SL 48-63 mm, same data as Lectotype ; 1, MRAC 20649, SL 50.3 mm, same data as Lectotype and Paralectotypes ; A. baudoni var. uniformis , 6 syntypes: 1, MNHN 1929-238, SL 40 mm, Koumbi River, Gabon (Afrique Equatorial Française), A. Baudon ; 5, MNHN 1929-239, Sangha River, Republic of Congo (Congo Française), A.Baudon ; Paramphilius goodi : holotype, SU 16970, SL 75 mm, Lolodorf, Bikui river, Lokundje River system, Cameroon, A.I. Good, 28 March 1936 ; paratype, MRAC 79172, SL 64.3 mm, same data as holotype .

Diagnosis. P. baudoni is the largest (attains 75 mm SL vs. 60 mm SL for any other species) and most deep bodied species (body depth 12-20.6 % SL vs> 20% SL in other species) in the genus. It also differs from all other Paramphilius species in pigment pattern (striking dark marbel-patches vs.plain brown or few spots) and in having a short notched adipose fin vs.long low confluent with caudal fin fold in other species. It is most similar to P. teugelsi as both species have the dorsal fin origin in advance of the pelvic origin and have 8+9 Principal caudal rays. It differs from P. teugelsi in being larger (max SL 75 mm vs. 51 mm), in having a short adipose fin (vs. long and confluent with caudal), and in its usually very striking colour pattern of brown spots and vermiculations on a light cream background ( P. teugelsi is plain dark brown). It differs from Paramphilius trichomycteroides in the position of the dorsal fin ( P. baudoni dorsal origin in advance of pelvic origin vs. P. trichomycteroides origin over the origin of pelvic fins), and in the number of Principal caudal fin rays (8+9 vs. 7+8 P. trichomycteroides ). It differs from Paramphilius firestonei in having a stouter body (body depth 5.8- 6.9 times in length vs. more than 8 times in the latter species), the positions of the dorsal fin (in the latter species the dorsal origin is behind the origin of the pelvic fins), and Principal caudal fin rays (8+9 vs. 6+7 P. firestonei ).

Description. Proportional measurements and fin ray counts given in Table 6. Body long, cylindrical shaped, moderately compressed posteriorly, soft and fleshy, predorsal extended with dorsal fin in mid-body. Head length 4-5 times in SL, head stocky, rounded anteriorly, flat below, round above; snout short, eyes far forward, tiny and widely separated (interorbit 5-8 times orbit diameter), confluent with head surface; postorbit large, prominent and bulging in larger males; mouth sub-terminal, broad, lips fleshy; teeth caniniform on premaxillae pad and in band along mandible; barbels long, slender and filamentous, maxillaries from lateral edge of upper lip reaching beyond head and pectoral base; outer mandibulars extending from lateral corner of mouth reaching beyond head, inner (anterior) mandibulars from ventral surface of mandible, medial to base of outer mandibulars, reaching beyond edge of branchiostegal membrane; branchiostegal membrane deeply cleft in mid-ventral line. Caudal peduncle short, deep. Fins generally small, short, soft and rounded; origin of dorsal in advance of pelvic fins, dorsal base extends above pelvic base; pectoral fins short, rounded, leading ray soft, weakly pectinate and padded; pelvic fins below mid-dorsal, short, rounded, not reaching anal, lead ray weakly pectinate and padded; anal short, round, not reaching caudal base; caudal fin broad and rounded, trailing edge truncate, without epidermal fold across base; adipose fin short, notched behind, positioned above and behind posterior half of anal base, reaching procurrent caudal ridge. Skin smooth and soft, lateral line continuous or interrupted to opposite anal fin and an interrupted series of pores to base of caudal. Anus and genital pore close to base of pelvic fins. Reaches 74.8 mm SL.

Coloration. Variable, usually markedly variegated, speckled or spotted or vermiculated in dark brown and cream or near white background, also spots can be obscured by darker brown pigment above and light brown-cream below on head and anterior body, caudal fin spotted, other fins with brown bars on rays and occasionally no spots or brown pigment. A plain dark brown form is reported from the WCA but this was difficult to ascertain in older museum samples (see Pellegrin 1930).

Distribution. Scattered records from the Kouilou, Ogowe and Lokoundjé Rivers in the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Cameroon respectively (Fig. 8). Also in Sangha-Congo River system.

Etymology. This species was named for the French colonial administrator, Mr. A. Baudon, who collected the original type material.