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Diagnosis: Within West Africa, this species is ditinguished from all other small African barbs (Enteromius) by the following unique combination of characters: last simple dorsal-fin ray smooth on hind margin, vs. denticulate on hind margin in E. cadenati, E. carcharhinoides, E. dialonensis and E. guineensis; two long barbels, vs. no barbels in E. anema, E. clauseni, E. pumilus and E. salessei and single pair of very short barbels in E. pobeguini; no black spot on dorsal fin, vs. black spot on dorsal fin in E. aboinensis, E. callipterus, E. macrops and E. raimbaulti; 3.5 scales between dorsal-fin base and lateral line and 21 to 24 lateral line scales, vs. higher scale numbers: 4.5 to 5.5 and 27 to 30 in E. atakorensis, E. bagbwensis, E. bigornei, E. boboi, E. chlorotaenia, E. lauzannei, E. nigeriensis and E. subensis; the presence of a black mid-lateral band, vs. no mid-lateral band or one to five well defined spots on the flanks in E. aliciae, E. anniae, E. baudoni, E. camptacanthus, E. eburneensis, E. foutensis, E. huguenyi, E. liberiensis, E. macinensis, E. perince, E. stigmatopygus, E. sublineatus, E. sylvaticus, E. tiekoroi, E. traorei, E. trispiloides, E. trispilos and E. walkeri; 12 scales around caudal peduncle, vs. 10 or less in E. bawkuensis, E. ditinensis, E. guildi, E. inaequalis, E. leonensis, E. melanotaenia, E. punctitaeniatus and E. zalbiensis; and the absence of a striped pattern on the mid-dorsal parts, present in E. nikoloensis (Ref. 87721). Although Enteromius teugelsi is very similar in general habitus to E. ablabes and E. parablabes, it can be distinguished from both species by its longer barbels 3/5, vs. 2/3; poorly developed or absent cephalic sensory canals, vs. well developed cephalic sensory canals; and a low number of gill rakers, 3-6 vs. 7-12 and 7-9 (Ref. 87721).
Description: A medium-sized species with a straight dorsal profile; head pointed, mouth sub-terminal (Ref. 87721). First simple dorsal-fin ray only slightly ossified on its proximal half (Ref. 87721). Lateral line complete, situated below and tangent to the dark longitudinal band on the body above the pelvic fin, but continuing on the longitudinal band above the anal fin; lateral line scales smaller on caudal peduncle than below dorsal fin (Ref. 87721). Cephalic sensory canals are hardly visible or even absent (Ref. 87721). Total gill rakers number on the first gill arch is low, 3-6 (Ref. 87721). Two unequal pairs of barbels, the anterior is reaching up to the centre of eye and the posterior extending beyond hind margin of eye (Ref. 87721).
Colouration: Preserved specimens have dark brown dorsal parts and flanks with a lighter belly; there is a well-marked black longitudinal band from snout to caudal-fin; the lateral line scales as well as those on the dorsal parts and in the first series below the lateral line are marked with small crescent-shaped patches of melanophores, most prominent on the lateral line and the dorsum; the longitudinal band is relatively wide below the dorsal fin, i.e. about half a scale high, and gradually narrows; paired and unpaired fins whitish and transparent (Ref. 87721). |