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Silurus glanis
Picture by Hartl, A.
Pictures | Videos | Sounds | Stamps, coins, misc. | Google image
Picture by Hartl, A.
Germany country information
Common names:
Donauwels, Europäischer flußwels, Kalis
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: occasional (usually not seen) | Ref: Winkler, H.M., K. Skora, R. Repecka, M. Ploks, A. Neelov, L. Urho, A. Gushin and H. Jespersen, 2000
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: restricted | Ref: Spratte, S and U. Hartmann, 1998
Uses: no uses
Comments: Vulnerable in 1984 (Ref. 27368); critically endangered in 1994 (Ref. 41851). Minimum size restriction of 70 cm in Schleswig-Holstein (Ref. 41851).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.ble.de/index.cfm?8C712107D9244972B3C193AC1917DCE7#Handelsbezeichnungen
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Muus, B.J. and P. Dahlström, 1968
National Database: AGRDEU
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: occasional (usually not seen) | Ref: Winkler, H.M., K. Skora, R. Repecka, M. Ploks, A. Neelov, L. Urho, A. Gushin and H. Jespersen, 2000
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: restricted | Ref: Spratte, S and U. Hartmann, 1998
Uses: no uses
Comments: Vulnerable in 1984 (Ref. 27368); critically endangered in 1994 (Ref. 41851). Minimum size restriction of 70 cm in Schleswig-Holstein (Ref. 41851).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.ble.de/index.cfm?8C712107D9244972B3C193AC1917DCE7#Handelsbezeichnungen
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Muus, B.J. and P. Dahlström, 1968
National Database: AGRDEU
Common names from other countries
Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) > Siluriformes (Catfishes) > Siluridae (Sheatfishes)
Etymology: Silurus: Greek, silouros = a cat fish + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Etymology: Silurus: Greek, silouros = a cat fish + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; non-migratory; depth range 0 - 30 m (Ref. 9988). Temperate; 4°C - 20°C (Ref. 2059); 62°N - 36°N, 0°E - 80°E
Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Europe and Asia. North, Baltic, Black, Caspian and Aral Sea basins, as far north as southern Sweden and Finland; Aegean Sea basin in Maritza and from Struma to Sperchios drainages; Turkey. Absent from the rest of Mediterranean basin. Now widely introduced and translocated throught Europe and Lake Balkhash basin in Kazakhstan. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 87.5, range 86 - 108 cm
Max length : 273 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 123627); max. published weight: 130.0 kg (Ref. 123627); max. reported age: 80 years (Ref. 59043)
Max length : 273 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 123627); max. published weight: 130.0 kg (Ref. 123627); max. reported age: 80 years (Ref. 59043)
Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 4 - 5; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 83 - 95. Distinguished from all other freshwater fishes in Europe by the following unique characters: two pairs of mental barbels; and anal fin with 83-91½ rays. Differs further from the following combination of features: body naked; large, depressed head; dorsal fin with 2-4½ rays; caudal fin rounded or truncate; no adipose fin; and anal rays almost touching caudal (Ref. 59043). Caudal fin with 17 rays (Ref. 2196).
The maximum length of the species has been recorded as 5 m for a long time and the maximum weight as 306 kg . It has been demonstatred that misidentifications and problems of measurment units have led to these numbers. The recorded maxima with evidence are 2.73 m and 130 kg (Ref. 123627). Inhabits large and medium size lowland rivers, backwaters and well vegetated lakes (Ref. 59043). Occurs mainly in large lakes and rivers, though occasionally enters brackish water in the Baltic and Black Seas (Ref. 9988). Found in deep waters of dams constructed on the lower reaches of rivers (Ref. 9696). A nocturnal predator, foraging near bottom and in water column. Larvae and juveniles are benthic, feeding on a wide variety of invertebrates and fish. Adults prey on fish and other aquatic vertebrates. Attains first sexual maturity at 2-3 years of age (Ref. 59043). Spawns in the salt water of the Aral Sea (at Kulandy) (Ref. 1441). Marketed fresh, canned and frozen; can be pan-fried and baked (Ref. 9988). Locally threatened due to river regulation destroying shallow spawning sites (Ref. 59043).
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Males defend small territories in the spawning sites and construct nests made of plant materials. They dig shallow depressions or clean spawning substrate such as willow (Salix) and roots. Males guard the nests until larvae emerge. Spawns in pairs. Eggs hatch in 2-3 days. Larvae live in the nest until yolk sac is absorbed for 2-4 (Ref. 59043). Eggs are surrounded by a mucous and adherent wrapping. Incubation lasts about 50 hours at 24°C. Egg size 3 mm, larval length at hatching 8.5 mm (Ref. 26211).
Main reference
Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators
Kottelat, M. and J. Freyhof, 2007. Handbook of European freshwater fishes. Publications Kottelat, Cornol and Freyhof, Berlin. 646 pp. (Ref. 59043)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 01 January 2008
Threat to humans
Potential pest
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
FAO(Aquaculture systems: production; Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us
More information
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Reproduction
Maturity
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Anatomy
Gill area
Brain
Otolith
Gill area
Brain
Otolith
Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Tools
Bio-Quiz | E-book | Field guide | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map | Classification Tree
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Special reports
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Internet sources
Alien/Invasive Species database | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | DiscoverLife | DORIS | ECOTOX | Faunafri | Fishtrace | GenBank(genome, nucleotide) | GloBI | GOBASE | | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | National databases | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | Public aquariums | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Scirus | SeaLifeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia(Go, Search) | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoobank | Zoological Record
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD50 = 0.5001 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00631 (0.00525 - 0.00759), b=2.99 (2.94 - 3.04), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.4 ±0.2 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=3-4; tmax=30).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (84 of 100).