Pardiglanis tarabinii Poll, Lanza & Romoli Sassi, 1972
Somalian giant catfish
Pardiglanis tarabinii
photo by NMK

Family:  Claroteidae (Claroteid catfishes), subfamily: Claroteinae
Max. size:  75 cm SL (male/unsexed); 68.3 cm SL (female)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  Africa: rivers Tana (Kenya) and Juba (Somalia); probably also in the Uebi Shebeli (Somalia); possibly present in the Northern Uaso Nyiro (Kenya) (Ref. 78218).
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Lives in mud at bottom of rivers. Latest (March 2000) male specimen caught in rather shallow water on the sandy bottom of the river, which had a very low water level following a long period of drought (in Kenya). Female (caught later in 2000) (Ref. 41277).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 01 May 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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