| Plotosus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Striped eel catfish, Plotosus lineatus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Plotosidae |
| Genus: | Plotosus Lacépède, 1803 |
| Type species | |
| Platystacus anguillaris Bloch, 1794 | |
| Synonyms | |
DeportatorGistel, 1848 | |
Plotosus is a genus of eeltail catfishes native to the Indian Ocean, the western Pacific Ocean and New Guinea.
There are currently nine recognized species in this genus: [1]
P. canius originates from coastal regions of Thailand, Sundaland, Sulawesi, Moluccas, and India, and into the lower Mekong River. P. fisadoha is known only from Southeastern Madagascar. P. limbatus inhabits marine and brackish waters in the Western Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. P. lineatus occurs in the eastern Mediterranean, marine waters in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific, and sometimes entering freshwaters in East Africa and Madagascar. P. nkunga is distributed in southern Africa from Boknes to Boteler Point, and to Zanzibar, in marine waters but also entering freshwater. P. papuensis ranges in the south of the island of New Guinea. [2]
P. canius reaches the largest size, up to 150 centimetres (59 in) TL. [3] P. limbatus grows to 41 cm (16 in) SL. [4] P. lineatus grows to 32 cm (13 in) TL. [5] P. nkunga grows to about 51 cm (20 in) SL. [6] P. papuensis is recorded to reach 55 cm (22 in) TL, though it may reach 100 cm (40 in) TL according to local fishermen. [7]
All species have been confirmed to be venomous except for P. fisadoha. The anterior spines of the dorsal and pectoral fins can inflict painful wounds. In P. lineatus, the highly venomous serrate spine of the first dorsal and each of the pectoral fins may even be fatal. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
The scaleless skin of P. nkunga is coated in mucus, and its mouth is surrounded by four pairs of sensory barbels. The spines of the serrated dorsal fin, which can lock into an erect position, are covered in toxic mucus that can be poisonous to humans. [9]
P. canius is found mostly in estuaries and lagoons, and sometimes up rivers in nearly fresh waters. It occurs in the lower parts of rivers in freshwater or brackish water and in coastal seas. [3] P. limbatus occurs in estuaries and along open coasts. [4] P. lineatus is the only catfish found in coral reefs; it is also found in estuaries, tide pools and open coasts. [5] P. papuensis is found in turbid rivers and swampy lagoons and backwaters. [7]
Juveniles of Plotosus species often form dense aggregations; in P. lineatus juveniles form dense ball-shaped schools of about 100 fish, while adults are solitary or occur in smaller groups of around 20 and are known to hide under ledges during the day. [3] [4] [5]
Most species feed on crustaceans, mollusks, and fishes. [3] [4] Adult P. lineatus search and stir the sand incessantly for crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and sometimes fish. [5] P. nkunga feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates, [6] using its barbels to feel around in the mud for crab and small fish. [9]
P. lineatus is an oviparous fish; this species has demersal eggs and planktonic larvae. [5]
Unlike the freshwater Siluriformes from which it evolved, Plotosus has evolved long ampullary canals in its electrosensory organs (originally termed "ampullae of Lorenzini", though now the name is not used) as the voltage gradient across the skin is less than in fresh water and so they must extend deeper into the fish where the difference will be more marked in order that the maximal voltage be registered. Such deep canals are found in elasmobranchs, though not in the freshwater stingray Potamotrygon, indicating this time loss of extended canals rather than gain.
Cnidoglanis macrocephalus is a species of catfish of the family Plotosidae, and is the only species of the genus Cnidoglanis. It is commonly known as the cobbler, estuary cobbler, deteira, estuary catfish, South Australian catfish, or Swan River catfish.
The eeltail catfish are a family (Plotosidae) of catfish whose tails are elongated in an eel-like fashion. These catfishes are native to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific from Japan to Australia and Fiji. The family includes about 41 species in 10 genera. About half of the species are freshwater, occurring in Australia and New Guinea.
Pseudoplatystoma is a genus of several South American catfish species of family Pimelodidae. The species are known by a number of different common names. They typically inhabit major rivers where they prefer the main channels and tend to stay at maximum depth, but some species can also be seen in lakes, flooded forests, and other freshwater habitats. They have robust bodies, and are important food fish. Recently, their population size has been on the drastic decline due to a variety of factors including overfishing and habitat destruction due to the construction of hydroelectric dams.
Scatophagidae, the scats are a small family of ray-finned fishes in the order Perciformes. They are found in the Indo-Pacific region but one species has been introduced elsewhere.
Brachyplatystoma is a genus of catfish from the family Pimelodidae. As the occasionally used common name goliath catfishes indicates, this genus includes some of the largest species of catfish, including the piraíba, B. filamentosum, which reaches up to the region of 3.6 metres (12 ft) in length. Brachyplatystoma are found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, and other tropical freshwater and brackish habitats in South America. Some species are migratory. These fish are important as food fish and, to some extent, aquarium fish.
Hemibagrus wyckioides, the Asian redtail catfish, is a species of catfish of the family Bagridae.
Hemibagrus wyckii is a species of catfish of the family Bagridae. It is occasionally called the crystal-eyed catfish or black devil catfish.
The zig-zag eel, also known as the tire-track eel, tire-track spiny eel or marbled spiny eel, is a species of ray-finned, spiny eels belonging to the genus Mastacembelus of the family Mastacembelidae, and is native to the riverine fauna of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The species was described as Macrognathus armatus by Lacepède in 1800. Other common names for this popular aquarium species are leopard spiny eel and white-spotted spiny eel. This species is not only a popular aquarium fish but also as a food fish in its country of origin.
Leiarius is a genus of long-whiskered catfishes native to South America. Most of the genus' species are found in the aquarium hobby as ornamental fish.
Paravandellia is a genus of pencil catfishes native to South America.
Euristhmus is a genus of eeltail catfishes native to the eastern Indian-western Pacific Oceans around Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia.
Paraplotosus is a genus of catfishes native to Australasia and South-east Asia.
Porochilus is a genus of eeltail catfishes native to Australia and New Guinea.
Cryptarius is a genus of catfishes of the family Ariidae. It includes two species, C. daugeti and C. truncatus. Cryptarius species originate from brackish waters of south and southeast Asia.
Coastal fish, also called inshore fish or neritic fish, inhabit the sea between the shoreline and the edge of the continental shelf. Since the continental shelf is usually less than 200 metres (660 ft) deep, it follows that pelagic coastal fish are generally epipelagic fish, inhabiting the sunlit epipelagic zone. Coastal fish can be contrasted with oceanic fish or offshore fish, which inhabit the deep seas beyond the continental shelves.
Heterobranchus bidorsalis, the African catfish or eel-like fattyfin catfish, is an airbreathing catfish found in Africa. It is closely related to the vundu catfish, which is well-known among fishermen.
Plotosus lineatus, common name striped eel catfish, is a species of eeltail catfishes belonging to the family Plotosidae.
The Guinean 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, originally under the genus Arius. It is a tropical fish which is found in the eastern Atlantic off Mauritania, Angola, Morocco and Western Sahara. A single record was reported in the eastern Mediterranean Sea in 1986. It inhabits coastal marine waters at a depth range of 50 to 80 m, also frequently entering estuaries and freshwater rivers. It reaches a maximum total length of 70 cm (28 in), more commonly reaching a TL of 40 cm (16 in).
The spotbanded scat,(Selenotoca multifasciata), also known as the striped scat, banded scat, barred scat, butterfish, John Dory, Johnny Dory, old maid, Southern butter-fish or striped butterfish, is a species of ray-finned fish, belonging to the family Scatophagidae, the scats. They are found in the eastern Indian Ocean and southwestern Pacific Ocean.
Hexanematichthys sagor, the Sagor catfish, Sagor sea catfish, Sunda sea-catfish, marine catfish or dusky catfish, is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1822, originally under the genus Pimelodus. It inhabits estuaries and freshwater bodies in numerous areas of the Indo-Western Pacific ocean. It reaches a maximum total length of 45 cm (18 in), more commonly reaching a TL of 30 cm (12 in).