Clarias buettikoferi Steindachner, 1894
Clarias buettikoferi
photo by Hippocampus-Bildarchiv

Family:  Clariidae (Airbreathing catfishes)
Max. size:  19.2 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  Africa: Gambia river, coastal basins of Guinea Bissau, Guinea, and from Sierra Leone and Liberia to the River St. John; also found in the Sassandra, Bandama, Agnébi, Mé and Bia (Côte d’Ivoire)(Ref. 57129). Reported from Ghana (Ref. 11235, 57129).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 57-68; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 43-53; Vertebrae: 50-52. Diagnosis: head rather rectangular in dorsal outline; snout broadly rounded; frontal fontanelle long and narrow (`knife-shaped'); occipital fontanelle oval-shaped (Ref. 248). "Dermosphenotic" and supraorbital bones fused (Ref. 248), closing up early in the ontogenetic process (Ref. 57129). Pectoral spine slightly curved, showing strong downward pointed serrations on its inner side and relatively small downward pointed serrations on its outer side; openings of secondary canals of lateral line appear as irregular white spots on body (Ref. 248). 43-53 anal fin rays, 57-68 dorsal fin rays (Ref. 57129). Coloration: live fish: olivaceous-brown on back, olivaceous on sides and whitish on belly (Ref. 57129). Preserved specimens: dark brown on back and sides, belly pale brown; several specimens have a yellowish spot at pelvic-fin bases; caudal fin with a few alternating dark and light vertical bars; dorsal and anal fins sometimes light-edged (Ref. 57129).
Biology:  Nothing is known about the biology of this catfish (Ref. 78218).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 29 May 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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