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.
More on author: Steindachner.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 20°C - 27°C (Ref. 13614)
Africa: Gambia river, coastal basins of Guinea Bissau, Guinea, and from Sierra Leone and Liberia to the River St. John; also found in the Sassandra, Bandama, Agnébi, Mé and Bia (Côte d’Ivoire)(Ref. 57129). Reported from Ghana (Ref. 11235, 57129).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 19.2 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57129)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 57 - 68; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 43 - 53; Vertebrae: 50 - 52. Diagnosis: head rather rectangular in dorsal outline; snout broadly rounded; frontal fontanelle long and narrow (`knife-shaped'); occipital fontanelle oval-shaped (Ref. 248). "Dermosphenotic" and supraorbital bones fused (Ref. 248), closing up early in the ontogenetic process (Ref. 57129). Pectoral spine slightly curved, showing strong downward pointed serrations on its inner side and relatively small downward pointed serrations on its outer side; openings of secondary canals of lateral line appear as irregular white spots on body (Ref. 248). 43-53 anal fin rays, 57-68 dorsal fin rays (Ref. 57129).
Coloration: live fish: olivaceous-brown on back, olivaceous on sides and whitish on belly (Ref. 57129). Preserved specimens: dark brown on back and sides, belly pale brown; several specimens have a yellowish spot at pelvic-fin bases; caudal fin with a few alternating dark and light vertical bars; dorsal and anal fins sometimes light-edged (Ref. 57129).
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Nothing is known about the biology of this catfish (Ref. 78218).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | 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)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00776 (0.00343 - 0.01757), b=2.97 (2.79 - 3.15), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
