Airbreathing catfish
Encyclopedia
Airbreathing catfishes are fishes comprising the family
Clariidae of order
Siluriformes. There are about 14 genera and 100 species of clariids. All the clariids are freshwater
species.
, southern Turkey
and large parts of Southeast Asia
, their diversity is the largest in Africa
.
, long dorsal and anal fins, and especially by the autapomorphic
presence of a suprabranchial organ, formed by tree-like structures from the second and fourth gill
arches. This suprabranchial organ, or labyrinth organ, allows some species the capability of travelling short distances on land ('walking catfish
es').
The dorsal fin base is very long and is not preceded by a fin spine. The dorsal fin may or may not be continuous with the caudal fin, which is rounded. Pectoral and pelvic fins are variously absent in some species. Some fish have small eyes and reduced or absent pectoral and pelvic fins for a burrowing lifestyle. A few species are blind.
Within the clariidae family there is a range of body forms from fusiform (torpedo
-like) to anguilliform (eel
-like). As species become more eel-shaped, a whole set of morphological changes have been observed, such as decrease and loss of the adipose fin, continuous unpaired fins, reduction of paired fins, reduction of the eyes, reduction of the skull bones, and hypertrophied jaw muscles.
is considered by some to be a separate family and by others to be a subfamily. With Heteropneustidae and Clariidae as separate family, a recent paper groups these families into a superfamily called Clarioidea. Relationships of clarioids to other families remains uncertain.
al fisheries
. Clarias gariepinus
is recognized as one of the most promising aquaculture
species in Africa.
The airbreathing capacity of these fish has allowed such fish as Clarias batrachus to be an invasive species
in Florida
.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Clariidae of order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
Siluriformes. There are about 14 genera and 100 species of clariids. All the clariids are freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
species.
Distribution
Although clariids occur in SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, southern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and large parts of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, their diversity is the largest in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
Description
Clariid catfishes are characterized by an elongate body, the presence of four barbelsBarbel (anatomy)
A barbel on a fish is a slender, whiskerlike tactile organ near the mouth. Fish that have barbels include the catfish, the carp, the goatfish, sturgeon, the zebrafish and some species of shark...
, long dorsal and anal fins, and especially by the autapomorphic
Autapomorphy
In cladistics, an autapomorphy is a distinctive anatomical feature, known as a derived trait, that is unique to a given terminal group. That is, it is found only in one member of a clade, but not found in any others or outgroup taxa, not even those most closely related to the group...
presence of a suprabranchial organ, formed by tree-like structures from the second and fourth gill
Gill
A gill is a respiratory organ found in many aquatic organisms that extracts dissolved oxygen from water, afterward excreting carbon dioxide. The gills of some species such as hermit crabs have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist...
arches. This suprabranchial organ, or labyrinth organ, allows some species the capability of travelling short distances on land ('walking catfish
Walking catfish
The walking catfish, Clarias batrachus, is a species of freshwater airbreathing catfish found primarily in Southeast Asia, so named for its ability to "walk" across dry land, to find food or suitable environments...
es').
The dorsal fin base is very long and is not preceded by a fin spine. The dorsal fin may or may not be continuous with the caudal fin, which is rounded. Pectoral and pelvic fins are variously absent in some species. Some fish have small eyes and reduced or absent pectoral and pelvic fins for a burrowing lifestyle. A few species are blind.
Within the clariidae family there is a range of body forms from fusiform (torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
-like) to anguilliform (eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
-like). As species become more eel-shaped, a whole set of morphological changes have been observed, such as decrease and loss of the adipose fin, continuous unpaired fins, reduction of paired fins, reduction of the eyes, reduction of the skull bones, and hypertrophied jaw muscles.
Taxonomy
Heteropneustidae containing the genus HeteropneustesHeteropneustes
Heteropneustes is a genus of catfishes of the family Clariidae. It includes two species, H. fossilis and H. kemratensis. The species H. microps has been synonymized with H. fossilis. The validity of the name H. longipectoralis for a possible third species is unknown.H. fossilis is widely...
is considered by some to be a separate family and by others to be a subfamily. With Heteropneustidae and Clariidae as separate family, a recent paper groups these families into a superfamily called Clarioidea. Relationships of clarioids to other families remains uncertain.
Relationship to humans
Many clariids form a large part of artisanArtisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
al fisheries
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
. Clarias gariepinus
Clarias gariepinus
Clarias gariepinus or African sharptooth catfish is a species of catfish of the family Clariidae, the airbreathing catfishes.- Natural Distribution :...
is recognized as one of the most promising aquaculture
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
species in Africa.
The airbreathing capacity of these fish has allowed such fish as Clarias batrachus to be an invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.