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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.
More on author: Peters.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 4°N - 2°N
Africa: Kribi (Kienke) and Lobé/Lobi in Cameroon (Ref. 248, 78218, 81644), Komo and Ntem in Cameroon
and Gabon, and the Ogowe in Gabon (Ref. 81644). Other reports unconfirmed in Ref. 248, 78218 or 81644, including reports from the rivers Boumba and Lobi (Dja system, middle Congo River basin) in Cameroon (Ref. 51193), Luongo River (upper Congo River basin) in Zambia (Ref. 27609), Zambezi, Chobe and Kwando in Namibia (Ref. 37065) and Ehoma floodplain in Nigeria (Ref. 52861). Reports from the Kasai, Kwango and Kwilu systems in Ref. 11970 refer to Clarias platycephalus, C. angolensis and C. dumerilii (Ref. 114852).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3820)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 82 - 85; Anal soft rays: 67 - 74; Vertebrae: 66 - 69. Diagnosis: head short (Ref. 248), its length 18.3-20.6% SL (Ref. 81644), small and rather rounded in dorsal outline (Ref. 248). Eyes dorsally located; frontal fontanelle extremely short and oval-shaped; occipital fontanelle oval-shaped; "dermosphenotic" and supraorbital bones joined and well developed (Ref. 248). Tooth plates relatively broad (Ref. 248), width of premaxillary band 26.2-29.7% HL, width of vomerine band 24.5-26.5% HL (Ref. 81644). Pectoral spine slightly curved (Ref. 248), strongly serrated on posterior face, weakly serrated on its anterior face (Ref. 81644). Gill rakers long, slender and distantly set; suprabranchial organ well developed (Ref. 248). Oenings of secondary sensory canals regularly placed along flanks (Ref. 248, 81644).
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); The biology of this species is in the main unknown (Ref. 78218). Maximum size reported is 159mm TL (Ref. 81644).
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 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00794 (0.00357 - 0.01766), b=2.96 (2.78 - 3.14), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).