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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.
Eponymy: G Dhont-De Bie was a member of the Corps Expéditionnaire Belge en Afrique de l’Est. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Boulenger.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 4°S - 6°S
Africa: known only from the rivers Niemba (Luvua tributary, upper Congo River basin) and Koki (west of, and affluent of, Lake Tanganyika) (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (Ref. 248).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 18.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3820)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 69 - 80; Anal soft rays: 59 - 64. Head oval-shaped dorsally; snout broadly rounded; eyes laterally placed. Frontal fontanelle is long and narrow; occipital fontanelle small and oval-shaped. Supraorbital and `dermosphenotic' bones partially reduced (especially the latter) and distantly set. Pectoral spine short and straight; outer side with strong downward serrations. gill rakers short and distantly set. Suprabranchial organ greatly reduced. Openings of the secondary sensory canals display a regular pattern.
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: circular.
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274)
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | 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: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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