Thailand country information

Common names: Buk, Mekong giant catfish, Pla ma fai
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: occasional (usually not seen) | Ref: Roberts, T.R. and C. Vidthayanon, 1991
Importance: commercial | Ref:
Aquaculture: experimental | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Occurs in Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Rai (Ref. 37773). Artificially reproduced fry from artificial breeding program by Department of Fisheries since the 1980s released in the Mekong, the Chao Phraya and natural waters in Thailand (Ref. 7432). Stocked in various reservoirs. Offspring attains a very quick growth, but unsuccesful to develop reproducing gonads in aquaculture condition (Ref. 43281). Highly priced food fish (Ref. 6459). Locally rare in the markets, but popular in pond culture. Threatened due to overfishing (Ref. 58784). Also Ref. 9448, 9648, 26336. Status of threat: Critically Endangered (Ref. 58784).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/th.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Monkolprasit, S., S. Sontirat, S. Vimollohakarn and T. Songsirikul, 1997
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Giant catfish, Silure de verre géant, Siluro gigante, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Siluriformes (Catfishes) > Pangasiidae (Shark catfishes)
Etymology: Pangasianodon: The Vietnamese name of a fish + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243). Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Asia: endemic to the Mekong basin where it has become rare due to overexploitation.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 300 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 30857); 235.0 cm SL (female); max. published weight: 350.0 kg (Ref. 43281); max. reported age: 10 years (Ref. 116372)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 8; Anal soft rays: 35; Vertebrae: 48. Body without stripes; posterior nostril located near anterior nostril; 7 branched dorsal-fin rays; gill rakers rudimentary or absent; fins grey, never black (Ref. 12693). The center of the eye above the horizontal line through the mouth angle in juveniles; eye totally below the level of mouth angle in subadults and adults. The maxillary and mandibulary pairs of barbels well developed in juveniles; mandibulary barbels become rudimentary in subadults and adults (Ref. 9448). Gigantic size; oral teeth and gill rakers present in small juveniles, absent at about 30-50 cm SL; dorsal, pelvic and pectoral fins without filamentous extensions (Ref. 43281). Distinguished from other large catfish in the Mekong by its lack of teeth and the almost complete absence of barbels (Ref. 2686)

Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); A migratory species (Ref. 37772) which occurs in medium to large-sized rivers (Ref. 12975). Feeds on detritus and algae on the bottom (Ref. 58784); feeds only on vegetation in the river but takes other food in captivity; little is known on its general pattern of life and migratory journeys for spawning (Ref. 2686). Shows one of the fastest growth rates of any fish in the world, reaching 150 to 200 kg in 6 years (Ref. 12693). Cited in the Guinness Book of Records as largest freshwater fish (Ref. 6472). Marketed fresh (Ref. 12693). Maximum length of 300 cm needs confirmation. Threatened due to over harvesting and habitat loss (Ref. 58490).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Roberts, T.R. and C. Vidthayanon, 1991. Systematic revision of the Asian catfish family Pangasiidae, with biological observations and descriptions of three new species. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 143:97-144. (Ref. 7432)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Critically Endangered (CR) (A4abcd); Date assessed: 13 April 2011

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Appendix I: International trade banned

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Appendix I: Endangered migratory species

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: experimental

FAO(Publication : search) | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00776 (0.00386 - 0.01562), b=3.15 (2.97 - 3.33), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 2.3 ±0.17 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming tm=5-10).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (79 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Pangasianodon gigas Chevey, 1931