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.
Eponymy: Auguste Henri André Duméril (1812–1870), was a physician and zoologist like his father (see next entry) and followed much in his father’s footsteps. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Steindachner.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 3°N - 14°S
Africa: middle and upper Congo River basin (Ref. 248), restricted to eastern Kasaï, Aruwimi basin and Upper Congo (Ref. 101841). Also reported from the Cueve (=lower Cuvo) and Kunene in Angola (Ref. 120641).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 30.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3820)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 65 - 81; Anal soft rays: 51 - 62; Vertebrae: 57 - 62. Diagnosis: head oval-shaped to rectangular dorsally; snout broadly rounded; eyes more laterally placed; frontal fontanelle extremely long and narrow; occipital fontanelle oval-shaped to rounded; tooth plates extremely broad (Ref. 248). Supraorbital and `dermosphenotic' bones separated; dermosphenotic somewhat reduced and shows a clearly marked notch (Ref. 248, 101841) although this notch is not observed in all specimens (Ref. 101841). Pectoral spine straight and robust; gill rakers relatively long and distantly set; openings of the secondary sensory canals regularly arranged (Ref. 248). Suprabranchial organ reduced to virtually absent (Ref. 248, 101841).
Colouration: preserved fish show uniform colouration: dorsum, flanks and upper side of paired fins dark brown; ventrum and ventral parts of paired fins light grey to beige; no information known on colouration of living specimens (Ref. 248).
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274)
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
Tools
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