Wallagonia

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Wallagonia
Wallagonia leerii.jpg
Wallagonia leerii
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Siluridae
Genus: Wallagonia
Myers, 1938
Type species
Wallago leerii
Bleeker, 1851

Wallagonia is a recently established genus of Silurid catfishes, containing 3 distinct species, all of whom are native to Southeast Asia:

For the longest time, these species were included in the genus Wallago, only in 2014 the separate genus Wallagonia was finally established based on osteological features that clearly separate the two. [1]

While W. leerii is spread widely throughout Southeast Asia, W. micropogon and W. maculatus have a highly restricted habitat, with W. micropogon only occurring in the Mekong river basin and W. maculatus only occurring in the Kinabatangan river basin on the island of Borneo. As the sole difference from W. leerii seems to be a slightly different coloration, biologists are doubtful that they are distinct species at all, instead probably being local subspecies of W. leerii. However, until further research has been performed, they are regarded as valid species. [1]

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<i>Wallago attu</i>

Wallago attu is a freshwater catfish of the family Siluridae, native to South and Southeast Asia. It is commonly known as helicopter catfish or wallago catfish. Some regional designations, such as the Manipuri Sareng, the Bengal Boal, the Sylheti Gual or the Malaysian and Indonesian Tapah are also occasionally used in English. W. attu is found in large rivers and lakes in two geographically disconnected regions, with one population living over much of the Indian Subcontinent and the other in parts of Southeast Asia. The species can reach a total length of 1 m.

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<i>Wallagonia micropogon</i>

Wallagonia micropogon is a species of catfish in the genus Wallagonia. This species was recently discovered and is found in the Mekong River drainage area between southern Vietnam and northern Laos as well as Chao Phraya River in Thailand. It is a freshwater fish.

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Wallagonia maculatus is a species of catfish in the family Siluridae endemic to Malaysia, where it is known only from Sabah in northern Borneo. This species grows up to a length of 100 centimetres (39 in) SL.

<i>Wallagonia leerii</i>

Wallagonia leerii, also known as the striped wallago catfish, helicopter catfish, or Tapah is a species of catfish native to Southeast Asia. Its habitat ranges from the river drainages of Thailand through the Malayan peninsula to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. It can grow up to 2 m in length and weigh up to 95 kg (209 lb). It has been used as food in Southeast Asia since ancient times.

References

  1. 1 2 Roberts, T.R. (2014): Wallago Bleeker, 1851 and Wallagonia Myers, 1938 (Ostariophysi, Siluridae), Distinct Genera of Tropical Asian Catfishes, with Description of †Wallago maemohensis from the Miocene of Thailand. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History, 55 (1): 35-47. doi:10.3374/014.055.0103