Redfin Antenna Catfish

Who lives where? Who lives how? What story do these fish have? We are happy to answer these and other questions in our species presentation.

Description

The Redfin Antenna Catfish (Pharctocephalus hemioliopterus) is a representative of the antenna catfish (Pimelodidae) up to 130 cm in size.
Phractocephalus hemioliopterus is the only species in the genus Phractocephalus that developed 13 million years ago since the Miocene.
In 2003 the P.nassi subspecies was discovered from the Urumacu River in Venezuela.
Another subspecies has been discovered in the Brazilian state of Acre and has not yet been described.
Redfin catfish are local edible fish, although many locals reject them because of their blackish-colored meat.

Way of Life/Habitat

The redfin catfish mainly occurs in the large deep river regions of the Amazon basin in Colombia, Brazil, the Maranon in Peru and Rio Madeira in Bolivia.
In addition, also in the Orinoco river system in Venezuela, in the lowland rivers of Ecuador and Essequibo in Guiana.

In 1979 he was partially imported from Brazil and Venezuela to the United States, where he could not prevail.



Fact sheet

Scientific Name: Phractocephalus hemioliopterus
Size: Up to approx. 130 cm
Weight: Up to 50 kg
Age: Unknown
Habitat: Mainly in large, deep river regions

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