Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Clariidae (Airbreathing catfishes)
Etymology: Clarias: Greek, chlaros = lively, in reference to the ability of the fish to live for a long time out of water.
More on author: Boulenger.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 9°N - 1°S
Africa: Cross (Nigeria), Sanaga, Nyong, Lobe and Kribi (Cameroon), the Ntem (Cameroon and Gabon), Mbini/Woleu (Gabon and Equatorial Guinea), Komo (Gabon) (Ref. 81644) and the Ogowe (Gabon and Republic of Congo)(Ref. 248, 92841). Also in the middle Congo River basin in the rivers Ja (Dja) and Sangha (Ref. 248, 92841). In southeast Nigeria known from the Osse, Niger delta and Cross (Ref. 57129).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 48.3 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57129)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 70 - 86; Anal soft rays: 54 - 71; Vertebrae: 58 - 65. Diagnosis: head relatively long (Ref. 248, 57129) and flattened, its length 24.8-28.6% SL (mean 26.2)(Ref. 57129, 81644). Frontal fontanel short and wide (Ref. 57129, 81644), "sole-shaped" (Ref. 248), 1.5 times as long as wide (Ref. 81644). Lateral cephalic bones (dermosphenotic and supraorbital) becoming contiguous already in young individuals (between 70 and 80 mm SL)(Ref. 248, 57129, 81644). First gill arch with 11-19 gill rakers (Ref. 57129, 81644). Color pattern usually uniform, occasionally a marbled pattern consisting of various dark brown spots on a light-brown background; head broad and pointed in dorsal outline; tooth plates broad; suprabranchial organ well developed although not completely filling the chamber (Ref. 248). Vomerine tooth band a little less short than premaxillary tooth band; pectoral spine serrate only along anterior margin; flank neuromasts arranged in a regular pattern (Ref. 81644).
Coloration: no information on colour in life (Ref. 57129, 81644). Most preserved specimens uniformly coloured: back and sides light to dark brown, belly beige-white; some specimens have a marbled pattern, with numerous black spots against a lighter background on back and sides, while the belly is beige to yellowish (Ref. 57129, 81644).
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Ecology, food and breeding: unknown (Ref. 248).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Teugels, G.G., 1986. A systematic revision of the African species of the genus Clarias (Pisces; Clariidae). Ann. Mus. R. Afr. Centr., Sci. Zool., 247:199 p. (Ref. 248)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00794 (0.00357 - 0.01766), b=2.96 (2.78 - 3.14), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec < 10,000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (38 of 100).
