Scientific Name
Arius maculatus

Common Name
Spotted catfish

Biology
Adults occurs in inshore waters and estuaries. Feed on invertebrates and small fishes. Occasionally form schools. Males incubate eggs in the mouth (Ref. 205). Caught mainly with set bag nets and bamboo stake traps. Marketed fresh (Ref. 3290). Air bladders are exported as isinglass used by the wine industry (Ref. 43081). Strong venomous dorsal and pectoral spines provide protection for the fish (Ref. 43081).

Classification

Classified By

Thunberg, 1792

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Catfish (Siluriformes)

Family

Sea catfishes (Ariidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-West Pacific

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: off the west and east coast of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar to the Arafura Sea (Ref. 9819) and the Indo-Australian Archipelago (excluding Australia). Known from the Mekong Delta (Ref. 12693).

Range

33°N - 4°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

50 m

Depth To - meters

100 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 50 - 100 m (Ref. 28016)

Trophic Level

3.36 s.e. 0.46 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

80.0 cm

Common Length

30.0 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

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=7)

Threat To Humans

Traumatogenic (Ref. 58010)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated