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Fish Identification: Find Species


Family: Ariidae Sea catfishes



(See list of species below)


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157 species (see list below)
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n = 157

Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm) Year
Amissidens hainesi Ridged catfish Western Central Pacific 32 FL 2000
Amphiarius phrygiatus Kukwari sea catfish Western Atlantic 35.5 TL 1840
Amphiarius rugispinis Softhead sea catfish South America 47 TL 1840
Ariopsis assimilis Mayan sea catfish Central America 35 TL 1864
Ariopsis canteri Caribbean 35.7 SL 2017
Ariopsis felis Hardhead sea catfish Western Atlantic 70 TL 1766
Ariopsis guatemalensis Blue sea catfish Central America 54 TL 1864
Ariopsis jimenezi Jimenez’s sea catfish Eastern Pacific 35 TL 2017
Ariopsis seemanni Tete sea catfish Central and South America 44.4 TL 1864
Arius acutirostris Asia 40 NG 1877
Arius africanus African sea catfish Africa 45 SL 1867
Arius arenarius Sand catfish Western Pacific 29 SL 1849
Arius arius Threadfin sea catfish Indo-West Pacific 40 SL 1822
Arius brunellii Africa 35 TL 1939
Arius cous Western Indian Ocean 1859
Arius dispar Fleshysnout catfish Asia 34 SL 1926
Arius festinus Africa 15.1 SL 2003
Arius gagora Gagora catfish Indian Ocean 91.4 SL 1822
Arius jella Blackfin sea catfish Indian Ocean 30 TL 1877
Arius leptonotacanthus Western Central Pacific 21.1 TL 1849
Arius macracanthus Asia 1864
Arius maculatus Spotted catfish Indo-West Pacific 80 TL 1792
Arius madagascariensis Madagascar sea catfish Africa 70 SL 1894
Arius malabaricus Indian Ocean 1877
Arius manillensis Asia 29.6 SL 1840
Arius microcephalus Squirrelheaded catfish Western Pacific 60 TL 1855
Arius nudidens Asia 1913
Arius oetik Western Pacific. 22.5 TL 1846
Arius subrostratus Shovelnose sea catfish Indo-West Pacific 39.5 NG 1840
Arius sumatranus Goat catfish Indo-West Pacific 32 TL 1830
Arius uncinatus Africa 19.9 SL 2003
Arius venosus Veined catfish Indo-West Pacific 30 TL 1840
Aspistor hardenbergi Western Central Pacific 25.4 SL 2000
Aspistor luniscutis South America 120 TL 1840
Aspistor quadriscutis Bressou sea catfish South America 50 TL 1840
Bagre bagre Coco sea catfish South America 55 TL 1766
Bagre marinus Gafftopsail sea catfish Western Atlantic 69 TL 1815
Bagre panamensis Chilhuil sea catfish Eastern Pacific 51 TL 1863
Bagre pinnimaculatus Red sea catfish North, Central and South 95 TL 1876
Batrachocephalus mino Beardless sea catfish Indo-West Pacific 25 TL 1822
Brustiarius nox Comb-gilled catfish Oceania 30 SL 1935
Brustiarius solidus Hard-palate catfish Asia and Oceania 60 SL 1935
Carlarius gigas Giant sea catfish Africa 165 TL 1911
Carlarius heudelotii Smoothmouth sea catfish Eastern Atlantic 83 TL 1840
Carlarius latiscutatus Rough-head sea catfish Eastern Atlantic 85 TL 1864
Carlarius parkii Guinean sea catfish Eastern Atlantic 75 TL 1864
Cathorops agassizii South America 22.5 TL 1888
Cathorops aguadulce Estuarine sea catfish Central America 22.7 SL 1904
Cathorops arenatus South America 25 SL 1840
Cathorops belizensis Belize sea catfish Western Central Atlantic 24.8 SL 2008
Cathorops dasycephalus Bigbelly sea catfish Eastern Pacific 36 TL 1864
Cathorops fuerthii Congo sea catfish North, Central and South 31.2 TL 1876
Cathorops higuchii Western Central Atlantic 19.2 SL 2008
Cathorops hypophthalmus Gloomy sea catfish Central America 35 TL 1876
Cathorops kailolae Papillate sea catfish Central America 25.4 SL 2008
Cathorops liropus Conguito sea catfish Central America 19.7 SL 1897
Cathorops manglarensis South America 19.5 SL 2007
Cathorops mapale South America 30.6 TL 2005
Cathorops melanopus Dark sea catfish Central America 23 TL 1864
Cathorops multiradiatus Box sea catfish Eastern Pacific 30 TL 1864
Cathorops nuchalis South America 24.5 SL 1864
Cathorops puncticulatus Southwestern Atlantic 1840
Cathorops raredonae Curator sea catfish Eastern Central Pacific 2009
Cathorops spixii Madamango sea catfish Western Atlantic 30 TL 1829
Cathorops steindachneri Steindachner's sea catfish Central America 36 TL 1904
Cathorops taylori Central America 28.3 SL 1925
Cathorops tuyra Besudo sea catfish Central and South America 33.9 TL 1923
Cathorops variolosus South America 1840
Cathorops wayuu Western Atlantic 31.4 SL 2012
Cephalocassis borneensis Western Central Pacific 30 SL 1851
Cephalocassis jatia River catfish Asia 30 NG 1822
Cephalocassis manillensis Asia 26 TL 1840
Cephalocassis melanochir Asia 30 TL 1852
Chinchaysuyoa ortegai South America 30 SL 2019
Cinetodus carinatus Comb-spined catfish Asia and Oceania 40 SL 1913
Cinetodus conorhynchus Lorentz catfish Asia 20 SL 1913
Cinetodus crassilabris Thick-lipped catfish Oceania 50 SL 1886
Cinetodus froggatti Smallmouthed salmon catfish Oceania 48 SL 1886
Cochlefelis burmanicus Asia 40 NG 1870
Cochlefelis danielsi Daniel's catfish Asia and Oceania 45 SL 1908
Cochlefelis insidiator Flat catfish Western Central Pacific 35 SL 2000
Cochlefelis spatula Duckbilled catfish Asia and Oceania 60 SL 1886
Cryptarius daugueti Asia 26 TL 1932
Cryptarius truncatus Western Central Pacific 42 SL 1840
Galeichthys ater Black seacatfish Southeast Atlantic 45 TL 1861
Galeichthys feliceps White barbel Southeast Atlantic 55 TL 1840
Galeichthys peruvianus Peruvian sea catfish Southeastern Pacific 35 TL 1874
Galeichthys troworum Indian Ocean 50 SL 2010
Genidens barbus White sea catfish Southwest Atlantic 120 TL 1803
Genidens genidens Guri sea catfish Southwest Atlantic 42.5 TL 1829
Genidens machadoi Southwestern Atlantic 80 TL 1918
Genidens planifrons South America 57 SL 1982
Hemiarius dioctes Warrior catfish Western Central Pacific 120 SL 2000
Hemiarius harmandi Indo-Pacific 12 TL 1880
Hemiarius stormii Armoured sea catfish Asia 50 TL 1858
Hemiarius verrucosus Asia 80 TL 2003
Hexanematichthys henni South America. 1922
Hexanematichthys mastersi Master's catfish Indo-west Pacific 51 TL 1898
Hexanematichthys sagor Sagor catfish Indo-West Pacific 45 TL 1822
Ketengus typus Bigmouth sea catfish Asia 25 TL 1846
Nedystoma dayi Day's catfish Asia and Oceania 20 SL 1886
Nedystoma novaeguineae Spoon-snouted catfish Asia and Oceania 15 SL 1913
Nemapteryx armiger Threadfin catfish Western Pacific 39.5 SL 1884
Nemapteryx augusta Short barbelled catfish Oceania 60 SL 1978
Nemapteryx bleekeri Bleeker's catfish Western Pacific 17 SL 1900
Nemapteryx caelata Engraved catfish Indo-Pacific 59 FL 1840
Nemapteryx macronotacantha Indo-west Pacific 30 TL 1846
Nemapteryx nenga Indo-west Pacific 30 TL 1822
Neoarius berneyi Highfin catfish Oceania 45 SL 1941
Neoarius coatesi Coates' catfish Oceania 75 SL 1990
Neoarius graeffei Blue salmon catfish Western Pacific 60 SL 1867
Neoarius latirostris Broad-snouted catfish Asia and Oceania 50 SL 1883
Neoarius leptaspis Salmon catfish Western Pacific 60 SL 1862
Neoarius midgleyi Silver cobbler Oceania 140 SL 1988
Neoarius pectoralis Sawspine catfish Western Central Pacific 39.3 FL 2000
Neoarius taylori Taylor's catfish Oceania 40 SL 1978
Neoarius utarus Northern rivers catfish Asia and Oceania 55 SL 1990
Neoarius velutinus Papillate catfish Asia and Oceania 60 SL 1907
Netuma bilineata Bronze catfish Indo-West Pacific 90 TL 1840
Netuma patriciae Whipfin sea catfish Western Pacific 30.3 SL 2019
Netuma proxima Arafura catfish Western Pacific. 46 SL 1898
Netuma thalassina Giant catfish Indo-West Pacific 185 TL 1837
Notarius armbrusteri Southeast Pacific 20.8 SL 2006
Notarius biffi Eastern Central Pacific 32.4 SL 2004
Notarius bonillai New Granada sea catfish Western Atlantic 80 TL 1945
Notarius cookei Central and South America 42.8 SL 2002
Notarius grandicassis Thomas sea catfish South America 63 TL 1840
Notarius insculptus Eastern Central Pacific 32.5 TL 1883
Notarius kessleri Sculptured sea catfish Eastern Central Pacific 45 TL 1876
Notarius lentiginosus Freckled sea catfish Eastern Central Pacific 35 TL 1888
Notarius neogranatensis Caribbean sculptured sea catfish Western Atlantic 36 TL 2002
Notarius osculus Chomba sea catfish Central America 28 SL 1883
Notarius planiceps Flathead sea catfish Central America 60 TL 1876
Notarius troschelii Chili sea catfish Eastern Pacific 70.6 TL 1863
Occidentarius platypogon Cominate sea catfish Eastern Pacific 50 TL 1864
Osteogeneiosus militaris Soldier catfish Indo-West Pacific 48.5 1758
Plicofollis argyropleuron Longsnouted catfish Indo-West Pacific 50 TL 1840
Plicofollis dussumieri Blacktip sea catfish Indo-west Pacific 85 TL 1840
Plicofollis layardi Thinspine sea catfish Western Indian Ocean 51 TL 1866
Plicofollis magatensis Asia 45 TL 1926
Plicofollis nella Smooth-headed catfish Western Pacific 47 TL 1840
Plicofollis platystomus Flatmouth sea catfish Indian Ocean 31 TL 1877
Plicofollis polystaphylodon Mozambique sea catfish Western Indian Ocean 35 SL 1846
Plicofollis tonggol Roughback sea catfish Indo-West Pacific 40 TL 1846
Potamarius grandoculis South America 35 SL 1877
Potamarius izabalensis Central America 44 SL 1960
Potamarius nelsoni Lacandon sea catfish Central America 39 SL 1902
Potamarius usumacintae Usumacinta sea catfish Central America 59.5 SL 2007
Potamosilurus macrorhynchus Sharp-nosed catfish Asia and Oceania 50 SL 1913
Sciades couma Couma sea catfish South America 97 TL 1840
Sciades dowii Flapnose sea catfish Central and South America 90 TL 1863
Sciades herzbergii Pemecou sea catfish South America 94.2 TL 1794
Sciades parkeri Gillbacker sea catfish Western Atlantic 190 TL 1832
Sciades passany Passany sea catfish Western Atlantic 100 TL 1840
Sciades paucus Oceania 130 TL 2000
Sciades proops Crucifix sea catfish Western Atlantic 100 TL 1840
Sciades sona Sona sea catfish Indo-West Pacific 92 TL 1822



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