Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Siluriformes (Catfish) > 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: Trewavas.

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 20°C - 26°C (Ref. 2060), preferred ?; 18°S - 20°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: known only from the type locality, Aigumas Cave, North Otavi, Namibia. Major threat is depletion of ground water (Ref. 7248).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7248)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 71-76; Anal soft rays: 66 - 61. Devoid of pigment. Eyes extremely small; covered with skin; dorsally located. Head rectangular in dorsal outline; snout broadly rounded. Frontal fontanelle long and narrow; occipital fontanelle long and oval-shaped. Supraorbital and `dermosphenotic' bones fused. Premaxillary tooth plate rather broad. gill rakers long, slender and distantly set. Suprabranchial organ greatly reduced. Openings of the secondary sensory canals regularly arranged along flanks.

Lacks pigment. Lives in caves (Ref. 248) and is adapted to life underground (Ref. 78218); over shelves in open, clear water. Feeds on bat droppings, animal carcasses and terrestrial insects that fall into the lake (Ref. 7248).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

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. 115185)

Critically Endangered (CR) (B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii))

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial

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Internet sources

Clarias cavernicola Trewavas, 1936