Scientific Name
Pangasius sanitwongsei

Common Name
Giant pangasius

Biology
Fins are pigmented with dusky melanophores. First soft ray in dorsal, pectoral and pelvic fins prolonged into a filament (Ref. 4792). Broad head; black tips on first few anal-fin rays in individuals of all sizes, particularly in juveniles; palatine and vomerine teeth united into a single long crescentic patch (Ref. 12693). Mouth wide, its width 5.5-5.9 times in SL (Ref. 43281).

Classification

Classified By

Smith, 1931

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Catfish (Siluriformes)

Family

Shark catfishes (Pangasiidae)

Distribution

Region

Asia

Distribution

Asia: Chao Phraya and Mekong basins.

Range

25°N - 9°N

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243)

Trophic Level

3.99 s.e. 0.66 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

300 cm

Common Length

50.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Very high vulnerability (90 of 100)

Resilience

Unknown

Threat To Humans

Harmless (Ref. 4537)

IUCN Red List Status

Critically Endangered (CR) (A2acd)