Scientific Name
Clarias liocephalus

Common Name
Smoothhead catfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 67-79; Anal soft rays: 53 - 67; Vertebrae: 55 - 58. Pectoral fin spine with serrations on the inner and upward directed on the outer side (Ref. 34290). Head oval to rectangular dorsally; snout broadly rounded; eyes more laterally located. Frontal fontanelle intermediate between `knife-shaped' and `sole-shaped'; occipital fontanelle long and oval-shaped. Supraorbital and `dermosphenotic' bones generally joined above 150 mm SL and more dorsally placed. Tooth plates relatively broad. Pectoral spine relatively short; its outer side strongly serrated over entire length. Gill rakers short and far apart. Openings of secondary sensory canals regularly arranged on flanks.

Classification

Classified By

Boulenger, 1898

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Catfish (Siluriformes)

Family

Airbreathing catfishes (Clariidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: Lake Victoria, Edward, George, small lakes of Uganda, Lake Kivu, smaller lakes of Rwanda, Lake Tanganyika, Bangweulu-Moero system, in Malawi, Kagera, Malagarazi, Ruzizi and Tana Rivers. Cunene, Okavango, upper Zambezi, and Kafue systems, Zambian Congo, Central Africa Great Lakes (Ref. 7248).

Range

2°N - 12°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

22 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; demersal

Trophic Level

3.26 s.e. 0.45 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

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

32.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown 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 (26 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)