| Claroteidae (Claroteid catfishes) |
| 80 cm SL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 10,000.0 g |
|
demersal; freshwater, anadromous |
| Africa: present in all Nilo-Sudanese basins, including Chad, Benue, Niger, Senegal, and Volta (Ref. 57126). Also in East Africa and Nile basin (Ref. 3236, 28714). |
|
Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5-7; Anal spines: -0. Diagnosis: adipose fin rayed in adults, 1st ray forming a spine (not visible in juveniles); adipose-fin rays becoming visible at sizes of 90-100 mm SL, and the spine at 200 mm; dentition very well developed: premaxillary tooth plate broad (38-45% of head length), palatine dentition consisting of an elongate vomerine plate and of a dermo-palatine plate in young individuals (60-70 mm SL); palatine tooth plates narrow and long with much weaker dentition; nasal barbel long, reaching at least to anterior part of orbit; maxillary barbel very long, exceeding at least the anterior part of dorsal fin and often reaching to adipose fin; caudal-fin lobes marked by a dark band; cranial bones well developed; length of occipital process usually less than 1.4 times its width (Ref. 57126).
Description: nasal barbels present; pelvic fins with 1 unbranched and 5 branched soft rays; anal fin with 4-6 unbranched and 7-9 branched soft rays (Ref. 57126). Adipose fin in adults has a stiff spine (Ref. 4967).
Coloration: rather uniformly brownish, but often 2 dark bands along body extending unto the caudal-fin lobes (Ref. 57126). |
| Inhabits rivers (Ref 4967). Feeds on crustaceans, insects, mollusks and fish (Ref. 28714). |
|
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 19 October 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
