HomeFish encyclopediaRay-finned fishesCatfishSea catfishesPeruvian sea catfish Peruvian sea catfish (Galeichthys peruvianus) Scientific name: Galeichthys peruvianus L?tken, 1874 The Peruvian sea catfish (Galeichthys peruvianus) is a marine fish of the family Ariidae. Native range: Southeastern Pacific, Peru. BiologyThis species is distinguished by the following characters: slender head and body, with body posteriorly well tapered; pointed caudal fin lobes, upper lobe longer; long and narrow caudal peduncle; lateral body with silvery to reddish stripe; tooth patches posterior to premaxillary tooth band slightly separated at midline; Anterior gillrakers on first arch 13-15; external skull with shallow, narrow dorsomedian groove, extending from interorbital area to base of supraoccipital; cranial fontanelles (of exposed skull) set within steeply-welled median cranial depression, or fissure, with nearly parallel sides; rugose skull, striate and tuberculate in part; swimbladder angularly heart-shaped and anterior margins more triangular than rounded, longitudinal septum of posterior chamber of swimbladder traversed by one smaller septum; aortic canal on ventral side of Weberian apparatus uncovered by lamellae (no aortic tunnel formed); M?llerian ramus of fourth vertebra with irregularly textured, ovoSource: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameGaleichthys peruvianusFamilyAriidae (Sea catfishes)OrderSiluriformes (Catfish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length35.0EnvironmentMarine; demersalClimateTropicalDistributionSoutheastern Pacific: Peru.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansTraumatogenicUsesFisheries: commercialResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026