| Family: |
Plotosidae (Eeltail catfishes) |
| Max. size: |
90 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 6,800.0 g; max. reported age: 8 years |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater; depth range - 10 m, potamodromous |
| Distribution: |
Oceania: endemic to Australia. |
| Diagnosis: |
Head large; thick and fleshy lips; nostrils tubular. First dorsal fin high, with a strong serrated spine and 6 rays. Skin tough and smooth. Body coloration in adults vary from olive-green to brown, black or purplish dorsally and white ventrally. Urogenital papilla triangular in females; longer and cylindrical in males. |
| Biology: |
Adults inhabit slow moving streams, lakes and ponds with fringing vegetation. They swim close to sand or gravel bottoms. More abundant in lakes than in flowing water (Ref. 44894). Usually solitary but juveniles sometimes form loose aggregations. Mainly bottom-feeders (Ref. 44894). Feed on insect larvae, prawns, crayfish, mollusks, and small fishes. Breeding occurs between spring and mid-summer when water temperatures rise to between 20° and 24°C (Ref. 44894). Utilized for human consumption. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 13 February 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
venomous |
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