Arius is a genus of catfishes of the family Ariidae. The genus Arius is distributed in brackish and fresh waters of Eastern Africa and south to Southeast Asia.
The rice-paddy eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1822, originally in the genus Ophisurus. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the Indo-West Pacific, including Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, southern India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Polynesia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kenya, Madagascar, the Philippines, Malaysia, Mozambique, Seychelles, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and southern Yemen. It is an anadromous species and spawns in freshwater, often in rice paddies during the rainy season, earning it its common name. It also spends time in lagoons, estuaries and coastal rivers, in which it lives in burrows in the river bottom and bank. Males can reach a maximum total length (TL) of 100 centimetres, but more commonly reach a TL of 70 cm.
The blue sea catfish, also known as the widehead sea catfish, is a species of sea catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Albert Günther in 1864, originally under the genus Arius. It is found in tropical marine, brackish and freshwater along the Pacific coast in Central America, ranging from Mexico to Panama as well as Nicaragua. It dwells at a depth range of 0 to 20 m. It reaches a maximum total length of 37 cm (15 in).
The African sea catfish, also known as the marine catfish, is a species of sea catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Albert Günther in 1867. It is found in tropical brackish and freshwater in Tanzania, Madagascar, and the Pangani River. It reaches a maximum standard length of 45 cm (18 in).
The threadfin sea catfish, also called the Hamilton's catfish, marine catfish or jella, is a species of sea catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1822, originally under the genus Pimelodus. It is migratory and is found in tropical brackish and marine waters in the Indo-western Pacific region, including Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and China. It reaches a maximum standard length of 40 cm (16 in), but more commonly reaches an SL of 15 cm (5.9 in).
The giant sea catfish, also called the ewe or the marine catfish, is a species of sea catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by George Albert Boulenger in 1911, originally under the genus Tachysurus. It is known from brackish and freshwater in the Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Benin, Mali, Ghana and Nigeria. It reaches a maximum total length of 165 cm (65 in), and a maximum weight of 50 kg (110 lb). Males incubate eggs in their mouths.
The Rough-head sea catfish, also known as the marine catfish is a species of sea catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Albert Günther in 1864. It inhabits tropical marine and brackish waters in the eastern Atlantic region, including Angola, Senegal, and Bioko. It dwells at a depth range of 0 to 70 m, most often between 0 to 30 m. It reaches a maximum total length of 85 cm (33 in), but more commonly reaches a TL of 40 cm (16 in).
The Chilhuil sea catfish, also called the Chihuil, is a species of sea catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Theodore Gill in 1863, originally under the genus Aelurichthys. It inhabits subtropical marine and brackish waters in the eastern Pacific region, including California, USA; Colombia, Guatemala, Peru, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Mexico. It dwells at a depth range of 3 to 177 m, most often between 10 to 60 m. It reaches a maximum total length of 51 cm (20 in).
The red sea catfish, also called the long-barbeled sea catfish, is a species of sea catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Franz Steindachner in 1876, originally under the genus Aelurichthys. It inhabits tropical marine, brackish and freshwater in the eastern-central and southeastern Pacific regions, including Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Nicaragua, and Peru. It dwells at a maximum depth of 20 m (66 ft). It reaches a maximum total length of 95 cm (37 in), but more commonly reaches 30 cm (12 in).
The Box sea catfish is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Albert Günther in 1864. It is a tropical, marine catfish which occurs in Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Panama. It dwells at a maximum depth of 20 m (66 ft). It reaches a 30 cm (12 in).
Cochlefelis burmanicus is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Francis Day in 1870, originally under the genus Arius. It is known from brackish and freshwaters in Myanmar and Thailand. It reaches a length of 40 cm (16 in).
The broad-snouted catfish is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by William John Macleay in 1883, originally under the genus Arius. It inhabits freshwater rivers in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its diet includes finfish, mollusks, prawns, terrestrial arthropods, aquatic insects, and plants. It reaches a maximum standard length of 50 cm (20 in).
Notarius cookei is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Arturo Acero Pizarro and Ricardo Betancur-Rodríguez in 2002, originally under the genus Arius. It inhabits brackish and freshwaters in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama, at a maximum depth of 20 m (66 ft). It reaches a maximum standard length of 42.8 cm (16.9 in).
The Thomas sea catfish is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Achille Valenciennes in 1840, originally under the genus Arius. It inhabits mud on the floors of brackish and marine waters between the Gulf of Venezuela and the Amazon River, at a depth range of 1 to 20 m. It reaches a maximum total length of 63 cm (25 in), more commonly reaching a TL of 40 cm (16 in).
The sculptured sea catfish is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Franz Steindachner in 1876, originally under the genus Arius. It inhabits brackish and marine waters in Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama. It reaches a maximum total length of 45 cm (18 in), more commonly reaching a TL of 40 cm (16 in).
The flathead sea catfish is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Franz Steindachner in 1876, originally under the genus Arius. It inhabits rivers, estuaries, and marine waters on the Pacific coast, from Mexico to Panama, at a maximum depth of 60 m (200 ft). It reaches a maximum total length of 60 cm (24 in). It is currently ranked by the IUCN redlist as being of Least Concern, due to a lack of known major threats for the species.
The blacktip sea catfish, also known as the Dussumier's catfish, the giant marine cat fish, the Shupanga sea catfish, or the tropical seacatfish, is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Achille Valenciennes in 1840, originally under the genus Arius. It inhabits rivers and marine waters ranging between Africa and India in the Indo-western Pacific. It dwells at a depth range of 20 to 50 m. It reaches a maximum standard length of 62 cm (24 in), and a maximum weight of 1.4 kg (3.1 lb).
The flatmouth sea catfish, also known as the flat-mouthed catfish or the flatmouth catfish, is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Francis Day in 1877, originally under the genus Arius. It inhabits estuaries and coastal marine waters in India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. It dwells at a maximum depth of 50 m (160 ft). It reaches a maximum total length of 31 cm (12 in).
The Pemecou sea catfish, also known as the flapnose sea catfish, the mud cuirass, or the gillbacker, is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Marcus Elieser Bloch in 1794, originally under the genus Silurus. It inhabits marine, brackish and freshwaters in Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Colombia, Suriname, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago. It dwells at a depth range of 1 to 5 m. It reaches a maximum total length of 94.2 cm (37.1 in), while males more commonly reach a TL of 30 cm (12 in) and females reach a TL of 62.5 cm (24.6 in). It reaches a maximum weight of 1.5 kg (3.3 lb).
The Passany sea catfish is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Achille Valenciennes in 1840, originally under the genus Bagrus. It occurs in estuaries and coastal marine waters in Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago. It reaches a maximum total length of 100 cm (39 in), more commonly reaching a TL of 50 cm (20 in). It reaches a maximum weight of 15 kg (33 lb). Although not specifically fished for, it is eaten when caught. It may be a host for the parasite Amapacanthus Amazonicus.
