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Plotosus nkunga Gomon & Taylor, 1982

Image contributors to this species:

Gareth Roocroft (2) John E. Randall (1) south cape great whites (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Closely related to P. limbatus. Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 4; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 88 - 109. Habitat: Found in estuaries and along open coasts. Enters freshwaters of South Africa. Colouration: Preserved specimens brown or grey above, lighter brown or whitish below; 2 faint, longitudinal stripes sometimes present on body but not extending onto head. Diet: Feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates. Remarks: These catfishes possess venomous fin spines.

Common Name:

Stinging eel catfish

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Plotosidae

Distribution:

Southern Africa: From Boknes to Boteler Point, and possibly to Zanzibar, in marine waters but also entering freshwater. Type locality: South Africa, Transkei, Bashee River (32º15'S, 28º55'E).

Size:

51.0cm. (20¼ins)

Temp:

24-26°C (75-79°F)

p.H.

8.0-8.5.

Reference:

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2011. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version.
Randall, J.E., 1997. Randall's tank photos. Collection of 10,000 large-format photos (slides) of dead fishes. Unpublished.
Seegers, L. 2008 The catfishes of Africa. A handbook for identification and maintenance. Aqualog Verlag A.C.S. GmbH, Germany. 604 p.
Taylor, W.R. and J.R. Gomon, 1986. Plotosidae. p. 160-162. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISBN, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 2.

Family: Plotosidae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails

Plotosus nkunga
Dried specimen

Plotosus nkunga
Dried specimen-ventral view

Plotosus nkunga
South Africa: Boteler Pt., Natal. Size: 39.7TL.

Plotosus nkunga
Kiwane S.A.

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