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Andrew Deacon (1) Nathan Cook (1) Paul Skelton (1) Nkosinathi Mazungula (1) Russell Brian Tate (1)

This genera, which includes another 8 species are quite difficult to identify, and on top of this juveniles can have different markings and colouration to the adult versions. First transferred into Parauchenoglanis by Skelton in 1993. Habitat: Favours rocky habitats or marginal vegetation in slow-flowing rivers and lagoons, often taking shelter under trees. Reproduction: Eggs are large and relatively few, suggesting parental care, but no details are known. 'Grunts' when taken out of the water. Aquarium Care: Grows quite large but not a predator as such so should be safe to house with smaller species. Best suited to the larger aquarium. Peaceful large catfish which will do well in company of larger characins from Africa and large Barbs. Diet: In its natural habitat its diet consists of small fishes and invertebrates like snails, shrimps and insects. In the aquarium it will eat a variety of foods. Tablet and pellet foods with a good quality flake and frozen bloodworms. Also relishes live worms such as the common garden worm, making sure that there has been no weedkiller on the premises, and white worm. Etymology: The genus name Parauchenoglanis: para-, near, referring to similarity and/or close relationship with Auchenoglanis. The specific name ngamensis: –ensis, suffix denoting place: Lake Ngami district (i.e., area), Botswana, type locality. Remarks: Parauchenoglanis ngamensis is currently distributed across the Okavango and the upper Zambezi, Kwanza, and Kasai (sub)basins of southern Africa, and the latest paper in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society by Yonela Sithole et al. 2024 have used molecular and morphological data to explore the possible existence of hidden species diversity within this species. Here they redescribe P. patersoni, which is confined to the Okavango and upper Zambezi (sub)basins, and describes a further eight new species: two from the Kwanza Basin and six from the Kasai sub-basin, P. ernstswartzi, P. dolichorhinus, P. poikilos, P. megalasma, P. lueleensis, P. luendaensis and P. chiumbeensis.

Zambezi grunter

Auchenoglanis ngamensis

Auchenoglanididae

Africa: Okavango, upper Zambesi and Kasai River system. Type locality: Okovango River.

38.0cm. (16¾ins)

22-26°C (71-79°F)

6.2-7.5.

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Fish in the News 2024.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2021. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 02/2021 ).
Geerinckx, T., D. Adriaens, G.G. Teugels and W. Verraes, 2004. A systematic revision of the African catfish genus Parauchenoglanis (Siluriformes: Claroteidae). J. Nat. Hist. 38:775-803.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.
Yonela Sithole, Emmanuel J W M N Vreven, Pedro H N Bragança, Tobias Musschoot, Albert Chakona, Nine in one: integrative taxonomic evidence of hidden species diversity in the widespread Zambezi grunter, Parauchenoglanis ngamensis (Siluriformes: Auchenoglanididae), from southern and south-central Africa, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 202, Issue 3, November 2024, zlae121.