Common names from other countries
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Plotosidae (Eeltail catfishes)
Etymology: Plotosus: Greek, plotos = swimming (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal. Tropical
Western Indian Ocean: Kosi Bay to Knysna in South Africa. Possibly extending to Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 51.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3879)
Found in estuaries and along open coasts. Enters freshwaters of South Africa (Ref. 3879). Feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates (Ref. 3478).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Taylor, W.R. and J.R. Gomon, 1986. Plotosidae. p. 160-162. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISBN, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 3879)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
CITES (Ref. 128078)
Not Evaluated
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
115969): 21.7 - 28, mean 26.9 (based on 388 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5020 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00457 (0.00199 - 0.01049), b=3.07 (2.86 - 3.28), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.37 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): Moderate vulnerability (45 of 100).