Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Siluridae (Sheatfishes)
Etymology: Belodontichthys: Greek, belos, -eos = any projectile + Greek, odous = teeth + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335); truncatus: Specific name from the Latin truncatus (truncated), in reference to the relatively short head of this species.
More on authors: Kottelat & Ng.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
Asia: Chao Phraya and Mekong River drainages in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam. Previously misidentified as Belodontichthys dinema from the Mekong River basin.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 60.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 43281)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 3 - 4; Anal soft rays: 79 - 96. Differs from its sole congener, B. dinema, in having a shorter pectoral fin, 21.9-25.8% SL, versus 25.9-28.9; a shorter head, 20.9-23.9% SL, versus 24.2-26.0; and a shorter snout, 35.4-39.6% HL, versus 39.0-43.1 (Ref. 38432). Strongly compressed head and body; upturned mouth with conspicuous large teeth; pectoral fin longer than head (Ref. 43281).
Occurs in medium to large-sized rivers (Ref. 12975). Found from middle depths to the surface in deeper parts of large rivers. Feeds on smaller fish near the water surface. An excellent game fish which can be caught using hook and line. Presently large numbers are being taken near Stung Treng in Cambodia by explosives (Ref. 12693). Migrates upstream through the Khone Falls in June-July with other silurids and enters the flooded forest in July-October, where it feeds heavily on cyprinids of the genus Henicorhynchus (pa soi, identified as Cirrhinus spp.) (Ref. 38432). Marketed fresh or dried and salted (Ref. 12693).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kottelat, M. and H.H. Ng, 1999. Belodontichthys truncatus, a new species of silurid catfish from Indochina ( Teleostei: Siluridae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 10(4):387-391. (Ref. 38432)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Gamefish: yes
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00562 (0.00279 - 0.01132), b=3.00 (2.83 - 3.17), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.1 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (49 of 100).
