Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Siluridae (Sheatfishes)
Etymology: Silurus: Greek, silouros = a cat fish + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Temperate; 5°C - 25°C (Ref. 13614); 53°N - 23°N, 95°E - 143°E
Asia: Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu in Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, China, and Russia.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 36.0, range 35 - 37 cm
Max length : 130 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 56557); common length : 37.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 35840); max. published weight: 30.0 kg (Ref. 56557)
Dorsal soft rays (total): 4; Anal soft rays: 67 - 84. The side of the dorsal is dark grey; white stomach; with irregular white dots on the side. One pair of maxillary barbel, longer than the head; one pair of mandibular barbels, about 1/5-1/3 the length of the maxillary barbel (Ref. 40516).
Commercially cultured in Japan. Adults feed on all types of fish (Ref. 41072). Recorded as having been or being farmed in rice fields (Ref. 119549).
Pairs manifest spawning embrace widely observed in other catfish species (Ref. 37360).
Details of reproductive behaviour from Katano, et al (1988): " A male first energeticaly pursued a female with its head near to the female's belly (chasing) and then began to cling to the female's body from the side, bending its tail or head (clinging). Finally the male enfolded the female's body, with its anus near to the female's (enfolding). In some cases, 2-4 males pursued a single female and two males enfolded a female at the same time. Although no aggressive behaviour was evident between males, it was always the largest male that could almost frequently approach and enfold the female. The mating pair moved a long distance in a ditch, paddy field and/or creek, performing reproductive activities."
The scattering of eggs may reduce the incidence of death of the young.
Kobayakawa, M., 1989. Systematic revision of the catfish genus Silurus, with description of a new species from Thailand and Burma. Jap. J. Ichthyol. 36(2):155-186. (Ref. 9417)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5001 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00589 (0.00500 - 0.00693), b=3.01 (2.96 - 3.06), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.4 ±0.3 se; based on diet studies.
Generation time: 10.0 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=4-5; K=0.11).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High to very high vulnerability (65 of 100).
