Sciades dowii (Gill, 1863)
Flapnose sea catfish
Sciades dowii
photo by Allen, G.R.

Family:  Ariidae (Sea catfishes), subfamily: Ariinae
Max. size:  90 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; brackish
Distribution:  Central and South America: fresh and brackish water along Pacific side from Panama to Ecuador.
Diagnosis:  Body elongate, not very robust; nostrils connected through the snout by a narrow flap of skin; eyes small (8 to 12 times in head length); cephalic plate entirely covered with thick granules, its edges striate; lower branch of the first gill arch with 17 gill rakers; adipose fin located over the end of the anal fin, its length two to three times that of the dorsal fin. Body blue-brown or blue-gray; belly white; fins dark with numerous brown spots; maxillary barbels dark gray (Ref. 55763).
Biology:  Found in estuaries and rivers (Ref. 9271). Feeds on small fishes and benthic invertebrates (Ref. 11482). Marketed fresh and dried-salted (Ref. 9271).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 23 May 2007 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  traumatogenic


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