Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Ariidae (Sea catfishes) > Ariinae
Etymology: Ariopsis: Greek, ari = very, strength, superiority + Greek, opsis = appearance (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.
Issue
Placed by Kailola & Bussing (in Fischer et al., 1995:874) tentatively in Arius.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; pH range: 6.8 - 8.0; dH range: 8 - 30. Tropical; 22°C - 26°C (Ref. 2060); 24°N - 5°S
Eastern Pacific: El Salvador to Panama.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 44.4 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 124487); max. published weight: 912.30 g (Ref. 124487)
This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: osseous medial groove present; lateral margin of sphenotic notched, narrower medially than anteriorly;
fleshy medial groove of neurocranium, never surpassing posterior margin of eyes; pterotic lateral margin convex, sometimes angled; gill rakers on the first and second gill arches 30-36;
mouth narrow 9.7-12.7% SL; median portion of mesethmoid narrow, medial notch of mesethmoid narrow and deep; external posterior branch of lateral ethmoid columnar and thin;
fenestra delimited by mesethmoid and lateral ethmoid conspicuous (Ref. 116660).
Common in coastal marine and brackish waters (Ref. 9271). Inhabits medium and large rivers to an elevation of at least 25 m (Ref. 36880). Marketed fresh or salted (Ref. 9271). Aquarium keeping: not suitable for home aquarium; adults in seawater; minimum aquarium size >150 cm (Ref. 51539).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Males mouthbrooder.
Marceniuk, A.P., A.P. Acero, R. Cooke and R. Betancur-R, 2017. Taxonomic revision of the new world genus Ariopsis Gill (Siluriformes: Ariidae), with description of two new species. Zootaxa 4290(1):1-42. (Ref. 116660)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic (Ref. 58010)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5625 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00741 (0.00424 - 0.01297), b=3.05 (2.90 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.6 ±0.55 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100).