Anatomie et fonction des structures céphaliques associées à la prise de nourriture chez le genre Chrysichthys (Téléostei: Siluriformes)

We studied, in fine detail, the functional morphology of the cephalic structures related to the feeding mechanisms - movements of the mouth, suspensorium, opercular series, hyoid arch, maxillary barbels and mandibular barbels - in three species of Chrysichthys. For comparison, a large number of other catfish genera were also studied. Our observations and comparisons, in asso- ciation with the data available in the literature, suggest that the mechanical performance of the cephalic feeding structures in Chrysichthys probably represents the typical pattern of a catfish.