Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Bagridae (Bagrid catfishes)
Etymology: Mystus: Greek, mystax = whiskered, used by Belon in 1553 to describe all fishes with whiskers (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Roberts.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Tropical
Asia: Mekong and Chao Phraya basins (Ref. 27732). Reported from the Maeklong River (Ref. 26336).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 13.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 27732)
Anal soft rays: 13 - 15; Vertebrae: 34 - 37. Differs from all other species of Mystus in having eyes lateral, rather than dorsolateral, so that they are about equally visible viewed either from above or from below head (in other species eyes usually cannot be seen at all from directly below). Mouth nearly terminal, less downturned than in any other species of striped Mystus. Serrae of pectoral spine smaller and less erect than in any other striped Mystus. Adipose fin short but very high, originating far behind dorsal fin, its length about twice and its height slightly less than eye diameter. Gill rakers increase in number throughout life faster than in any other Mystus. The anal fin has slightly more rays (13-15) than other striped Mystus of Thailand (usually 12 or less), and its posterior border is distinctly falcate. Cranial fontanel extends posteriorly to about midway between level of posterior border of eye and base of supraoccipital process. Maxillary barbel extends posteriorly to beyond anal fin or to end of middle caudal fin rays (Ref. 26663). Side of body with 3 faint dark and 2 whitish stripes (Ref. 43281).
Facultative air-breathing in the genus (Ref. 126274); Often found in mixed schools with M. multiradiatus which congregate around tree limbs and other solid objects, browsing the hard surfaces for zooplankton, aquatic insects, crustaceans and rotifers. Move into flooded forests during the rainy season and returns to rivers in November and December in the lower Mekong. Oviparous, distinct pairing possibly like other members of the same family (Ref. 205). Marketed fresh or smoked on a skewer (Ref. 12693).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Rainboth, W.J., 1996. Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. FAO, Rome, 265 p. (Ref. 12693)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
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=0.00832 (0.00359 - 0.01926), b=2.95 (2.78 - 3.12), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.42 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming Fec < 10,000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
