Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Ariidae (Sea catfishes) > Ariinae
Etymology: Cathorops: Greek, kathorao = to observe, to watch + Greek, ops = appearance (Ref. 45335); higuchii: Named for Dr. Horácio Higuchi, of Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, in recognition for his contribution to the taxonomy, systematics and morphology of South American Ariidae.
Eponymy: Dr Horácio Higuchi is an ichthyologist and evolutionary biologist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; demersal. Tropical
Western Central Atlantic: Honduras to Panama.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 19.2 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 75004)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Anal soft rays: 19 - 24. Differs from all congeners in having 18-21 gill rakers on first arch; slightly granulated cephalic shield; and orbit diameter 11.7-18.9% of external mental barbel length. Additional diagnostic characters include 17-21 gill rakers on second arch; snout length 6.1-8.0% SL; orbital diameter 3.3-4.4% SL; absence of fleshy papillae intercalated with gill rakers on first two gill arches; dorsal-fin spine length 18.6-22.2%SL; dorsal-fin spine longer than pectoral-fin spine; dorsal-fin spine length 35.6-43.3% of distance from tip of snout to pelvic-fin origin; nuchal plate length 6.3-7.5; width of posterior portion of supraoccipital process 2.7-3.3% SL; length of accessory tooth plates 2.6-4.7%SL; premaxilla width 5.7-7.7%SL; supraoccipital process length 3.1-4.5 in maxillary barbel length; supraoccipital process length 2.1-3.1 in external mental barbel length; distance from tip to snout to posterior margin of dorsomedian groove of neurocranium 20.9-26.3% SL; distance between lateral cornu of lateral ethmoid and external limb of the supracleithrum 20.4-25.9% SL and pelvic fin pale (Ref. 75004).
Occurs in shallow coastal areas and low portions of coastal rivers (Ref. 75004).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Marceniuk, A.P. and R. Betancur-R, 2008. Revision of the species of the genus Cathorops (Siluriformes: Ariidae) from Mesoamerica and the Central American Caribbean, with description of three new species. Neotrop. Ichthyol. 6(1):25-44. (Ref. 75004)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic (Ref. 58010)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.2 ±0.8 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (13 of 100).
