Description:
Body moderately robust; head relatively long, depressed;
snout moderately long, rounded across front; eye small
(3.2-4.2% SL); top of head rough at rear, covered
with thin skin; groove on top of head discontinuous
- a short fleshy, wide, inconspicuous groove on snout
that reaches to level of front nostrils, rear, bony
part is narrow, inconspicuous, very shallow, with
parallel, irregular margins; bony process behind head
shield, funnel shaped, wide and relatively long (10.4-11.9%
SL); 3 pairs of barbells (on chin and both jaws),
top barbell reaches past base of pectoral spine, longest
lower barbell reaches past gill membrane; gill opening
restricted to sides by adhesion of gill membranes
to breast; gill rakers 15 (14-17) on 1st arch, 15-17
on 2nd, rakers present on posterior surface of all
gill arches; lips relatively thin; jaws wide, with
large teeth; teeth at front of top jaw in a continuous
broad band; rear lower teeth are small molars; palate
teeth large, molariform, in two large oval patches
that touch or nearly do at front, more oblique than
horizontal, tooth patches considerably larger in females;
jaw teeth in several rows, front teeth smaller than
back; dorsal rays I, 7, dorsal spine short (18.4-20.4%
SL), much thinner than pectoral spine; anal rays 23
(22-24); pectoral rays I, 10-11, pectoral spine short,
thick finely serrated; tail fin with short, wide,
rounded lobes. Habitat: Inhabits
shallow marine waters and brackish estuaries. Colouration:
Dark blue or brownish on back, silvery white on sides
and belly; fins dusky. Etymology:
The specific name fuerthii:
in honour of Ignatius Fürth, Austrian consul
at Panama (type locality), who collected and/or provided
type.
Common
Name:
Congo
sea catfish
Synonyms:
Arius fuerthii
Family:
Ariidae
Distribution:
South
and Central America: Pacific draining rivers
of the Americas from Mexico to Ecuador. Type
locality: Panama.
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