[3][4] It was first described by Belgian ichthyologist Jean-Pierre Gosse in 1982, from specimens collected at multiple points along the shore of Lake Tanganyika.

[5] Like all members of the genus Synodontis, S. polli has a strong, bony head capsule that extends back as far as the first spine of the dorsal fin.

[3] The head contains a distinct narrow, bony, external protrusion called a humeral process.

In S. polli, the humeral process is wide, triangular, and rough in appearance, with a poorly-defined ridge on the bottom edge.

The exact purpose of the skin folds is not known, but is a characteristic of the species of Syndontis that are endemic to Lake Tanganyika.

[3] All members of Syndontis have a structure called a premaxillary toothpad, which is located on the very front of the upper jaw of the mouth.

[3] On the lower jaw, or mandible, the teeth of Syndontis are attached to flexible, stalk-like structures and described as "s-shaped" or "hooked".

[3] The body color is olive brown on the back, covered with large, irregularly-shaped black spots.

[3][4] Generally, females in the genus Synodontis tend to be slightly larger than males of the same age.

[4][8] The fish inhabits rocky coasts in the littoral, and has been found at depths of up to 20 metres (66 ft).

[3] The reproductive habits of most of the species of Synodontis are not known, beyond some instances of obtaining egg counts from gravid females.