Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Plotosidae (Eeltail catfishes)
Etymology: Paraplotosus: Greek, para = in the side of + Greek, plotos = swimming (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Baron Dr Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Müller (1825–1896) was a German-born Australian botanist, geographer, explorer, physician, and naturalist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Klunzinger.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 8 m (Ref. 31103). Tropical
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Indo-West Pacific: northwestern Australia and the adjacent Northern Territory.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 26.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 31103)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 97 - 110; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 80 - 95. Differs from P. albilabris in having a taller dorsal fin and larger eye (Ref. 31103). Differs from Paraplotosus butleri in having a shorter dorsal fin and shorter nasal barbels, rounded pectoral fin shape, fewer procurrent caudal fin rays, and fewer gill rakers. Brown in color, belly area and ventral surface of head whitish (Ref. 31103).
Restricted to turbid coastal reefs of mainland Australia and nearby islands (Ref. 31103). Presumably nocturnal (Ref. 31103). Feeds on gastropod mollusks and crustaceans (Ref. 31103).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Allen, G.R., 1998. A review of the marine catfish genus Paraplotosus (Plotosidae) with the description of a new species from north-western Australia. Raf. Bull. Zool. 46(1):123-134. (Ref. 31103)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.2 - 29.2, mean 28 °C (based on 531 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00468 (0.00209 - 0.01049), b=3.06 (2.86 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.54 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (23 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 79.5 [34.0, 159.0] mg/100g; Iron = 0.652 [0.377, 1.185] mg/100g; Protein = 17 [15, 19] %; Omega3 = 0.0896 [, ] g/100g; Selenium = 24.3 [12.8, 55.1] μg/100g; VitaminA = 97.5 [32.1, 276.2] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.4 [0.9, 2.0] mg/100g (wet weight);