Scientific Name
Carlarius heudelotii

Common Name
Smoothmouth sea catfish

Biology
Enters brackish waters; found along the shallow continental shelf (Ref. 3876). Feeds on benthic invertebrates buried in the mud but it can sometimes leave the bottom to capture prey in open water. The females bear large eggs which are incubated and develop in the buccal cavity of the males. The rays of the fins are venomous and the wound inflicted is extremely painful (Ref. 5377). Minimum depth from Ref. 58018.

Classification

Classified By

Valenciennes, 1840

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Catfish (Siluriformes)

Family

Sea catfishes (Ariidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Atlantic

Distribution

Eastern Atlantic: Cape Blanc, Mauritania to Gabon and possibly Angola along the shallow continental shelf. Reported from the lower Niger basin, the Benou? River (Ref. 13331), and the Gambia (Ref. 28587).

Range

15°N - 9°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

15 m

Depth To - meters

75 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 15 - 75 m (Ref. 6541)

Trophic Level

3.77 s.e. 0.62 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

83.0 cm

Common Length

35.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (57 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.14-0.15)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 5377)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated