Sperata
Encyclopedia
Sperata is a genus
of catfish
es (order
Siluriformes) of the family
Bagridae
. It includes five species
, S. acicularis, S. aor, S. aorella, S. sarwari, and S. seenghala.
, Bago
, and Tenasserim River systems of Myanmar
. S. aor inhabits the Ganges River
system and peninsular India
south to the Cauvery River basin. S. aorella lives in the Ganges River in India and Bangladesh. S. sarwari is found in the Indus River
basin. S. seenghala is distributed in the Ganges River system and peninsular India at least as far south as the Krishna River
.
. S. seenghala grows up to 150 cm (59 in) TL.
s, ditches, inundated fields, and other freshwater areas.
Predatory, Sperata feed on small fishes and worms. Breeding occurs before the commencement of monsoon
s.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
es (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) of the family
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...
Bagridae
Bagridae
Bagridae are a family of catfish that originate from Africa and Asia from Japan to Borneo. These fish are commonly known as naked catfishes or bagrid catfishes.Large Bagrids are important as food fish. Some species are kept as aquarium fishes....
. It includes five species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, S. acicularis, S. aor, S. aorella, S. sarwari, and S. seenghala.
Distribution
S. acicularis originates from the IrrawaddyAyeyarwady River
The Irrawaddy River or Ayeyarwady River is a river that flows from north to south through Burma . It is the country's largest river and most important commercial waterway. Originating from the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers, it flows relatively straight North-South before emptying through...
, Bago
Bago River
Bago River is a river of southern Burma. It flows through Bago and Yangon. It arises in the hills of the Pegu Range and flows into the Myitmaka River which below that point is called the Yangon River.-References:...
, and Tenasserim River systems of Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. S. aor inhabits the Ganges River
Ganges River
The Ganges or Ganga, , is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it...
system and peninsular India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
south to the Cauvery River basin. S. aorella lives in the Ganges River in India and Bangladesh. S. sarwari is found in the Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
basin. S. seenghala is distributed in the Ganges River system and peninsular India at least as far south as the Krishna River
Krishna River
The Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India, about . It is also referred to as Krishnaveni in its original nomenclature...
.
Physical description
S. aor reaches 180 centimetres (71 in) TLFish measurement
Fish measurement refers to the measuring of the length of individual fish and of various parts of their anatomy. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology.-Overall length:...
. S. seenghala grows up to 150 cm (59 in) TL.
Ecology
S. aor is found in rivers, ponds, gullies, lakes, channels, and reservoirs. S. seenghala is found in rivers, canals, beelBeel
A beel or a bheel is a term for a pond with static water , in the Ganges - Brahmaputra flood plains of the Eastern Indian states of West Bengal, and Assam and in the country of Bangladesh...
s, ditches, inundated fields, and other freshwater areas.
Predatory, Sperata feed on small fishes and worms. Breeding occurs before the commencement of monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
s.