Scientific Name
Pardiglanis tarabinii

Common Name
Somalian giant catfish

Biology
Lives in mud at bottom of rivers. Latest (March 2000) male specimen caught in rather shallow water on the sandy bottom of the river, which had a very low water level following a long period of drought (in Kenya). Female (caught later in 2000) (Ref. 41277).

Classification

Classified By

Poll, Lanza & Romoli Sassi, 1972

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Catfish (Siluriformes)

Family

Claroteid catfishes (Claroteidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: rivers Tana (Kenya) and Juba (Somalia); probably also in the Uebi Shebeli (Somalia); possibly present in the Northern Uaso Nyiro (Kenya) (Ref. 78218).

Range

8°N - 1°N

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; demersal

Trophic Level

3.47 s.e. 0.59 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

75.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (54 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status