Country Species Summary

Clarias ngamensis in Botswana
Blunt-toothed African catfish

Clarias ngamensis Castelnau, 1861
Family:	Clariidae (Airbreathing catfishes)	picture (Clnga_u1.gif) by Mertens, P.
Order:	Siluriformes (catfish)
Class:	Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name:	Blunt-toothed African catfish
Max. size:	73.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 7248); max. published weight: 4,000 g (Ref. 7248)
Environment:	demersal; potamodromous
Climate:	tropical; 11°S - 27°S
Global Importance:	fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience:	Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.22-0.41)
Distribution:	Africa: Found in Quanza, Cunene, Okavango, Chobe, Lake Ngami, upper Zambezi (above Victoria Falls), Kafue, Lake Malawi, upper Lualaba, Luapula, Lakes Moero and Bangweulu, Pungwe, Buzi, Save, Limpopo, Incomati, lower Pongolo and lower Sabi/Lundi system (Ref. 248). Also reported from the lower Shire (Ref. 7248)
Diagnosis:	Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 56-62; Anal soft rays: 50-58; Vertebrae: 56-60. Characterized by a relatively long vomerine tooth plate (5.9-14.4 % HL) and by a relatively short adipose fin (5.9-12.5 % SL), the length of which is a specific character of C. ngamensis. Head oval to rectangular in dorsal outline; frontal fontanelle long and narrow (`knife-shaped'); occipital fontanelle small and oval-shaped. Pectoral spine robust and slightly curved. The suprabranchial organ consists of well developed arborescent structures.
Biology:	Also caught with drawnets (Ref. 4967). Lives over muddy bottoms in swampy areas. Feeds on snails (Ref. 5595). Prefers vegetated habitats. Feeding habits overlap considerably with the sharptooth catfish. Important foods are mollusks, terrestrial and aquatic insects, shrimps, crabs and fish. Hard-shelled foods such as mussels are crushed before they are swallowed. Breeds during the summer rainy season. May live for 5-6 years (Ref. 7248)
Threatened:	Not Evaluated, see IUCN Red List , (Ref. 36508)
Dangerous:	harmless
Coordinator:
Main Ref:	Teugels, G.G.. 1986. (Ref. 248)
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Botswana country information
Common names:	[ No common name ]	Ref:
Status:	native	Ref: Teugels, G.G., 1986
Salinity:	freshwater
Aquaculture:		Ref:
Uses:	live export:
Comments:	Known from the Okavango Delta in the Boteti River, Thamalakane River, Nxaraga Lagoon, Xakanixa Lagoon, Magwexana Lagoon, perennial swamp rain pools, mainstream channel and Dungu Lagoon (Ref. 27501). Also Ref. 248.
Country Information:	www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bc.html
Occurrences:	Occurrences Point map
Main Ref:	Merron, G.S. and M.N. Bruton, 1995
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Modified: Musschoot, Tobias

Entered: Binohlan, Crispina B.

CGNET - US

Page created by: Eli, 20.10.03, last modified by Eli, 26.06.07

	Ref.:		Glossary
		(e.g. 9948)		(e.g. cephalopods)
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