Scientific Name
Nemapteryx caelata

Common Name
Engraved catfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Anal soft rays: 16 - 30. Head profile concave at nape. Head shield strongly rugose and granulated; supra-occipital process short, about as long as broad, with median keel, hind end concave. Dorsal and pectoral fins with very strong, thick, and coarsely granulated spine; tip of dorsal spine produced into a long filament; adipose fin rather large. Body with metallic blue luster. Tip of dorsal fin blackish, its filament black; pectoral, pelvic and anal fins dusky; caudal fin paler; adipose fin either entirely black or bearing a large black blotch on upper half.

Classification

Classified By

Valenciennes, 1840

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Catfish (Siluriformes)

Family

Sea catfishes (Ariidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: east and west coast of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, the Indo-Australian archipelago but not in the Philippines or Australia.

Range

35°N - 15°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

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal; amphidromous (Ref. 51243)

Trophic Level

4.02 s.e. 0.64 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

45.0 cm

Common Length

24.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5156 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Traumatogenic (Ref. 58010)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated