Electric catfish

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Electric catfish
Malapterurus electricus

Malapterurus electricus

Systematics
Overcohort : Clupeocephala
Cohort : Otomorpha
Sub-cohort : Ostariophysi
Otophysa
Order : Catfish (Siluriformes)
Family : Electric catfish
Scientific name
Malapteruridae
Bleeker , 1858

The electric catfish (Malapteruridae) ( Gr ., Mala = soft, pteron = fin, oura = tail) live in the fresh waters of tropical Africa and the Nile . The well -shake catfish animals referred to by electroplax to stun their prey using electric shocks.

features

Electric catfish are twelve centimeters up to 1.22 meters long and weigh up to 25 kg. Their bodies are elongated, cylindrical, and mostly gray-brown in color on their backs and sides. They don't have a dorsal fin . A large adipose fin is located just before the tail fin stalk . The anal fin is also far back. The caudal fin is rounded. All fins are without fin spines. Electric catfish have three pairs of barbels , nasal barbels are absent. The shoulder girdle is loosely connected to the skull. The swim bladder has forward protrusions, two in the genus Malapterurus , three in Paradoxoglanis .

The electrical organ is derived from the shoulder muscles and surrounds most of the body's length. Malapterurus electricus can generate electrical surges with a voltage of 350 volts.

Systematics

In the classical system, the quiver catfish are placed in the superfamily Siluroidea. According to molecular biological studies, they belong to the "Big Africa" ​​group within the subordination of the Siluroidei.

Genera and species

Individual evidence

  1. Ng, H. 2000: Malapterurus electricus , Animal Diversity Web. Accessed February 9th. 2010 Malapterurus electricus .
  2. JP Sullivan, Lundberg JG; Hardman M: A phylogenetic analysis of the major groups of catfishes (Teleostei: Siluriformes) using rag1 and rag2 nuclear gene sequences . In: Mol Phylogenet Evol. . 41, No. 3, 2006, pp. 636-62. doi : 10.1016 / j.ympev.2006.05.044 .

literature

Web links

Commons : Electric Catfish  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Electric catfish on Fishbase.org (English)