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Shovelnose Catfish
Ariopsis paucus (Kailola, 2000)
Above and below: Shovelnose Catfish at the surface, Lawn Hill Gorge, Queensland, July 2006. Photo: I. Graham © Australian Museum. Thank you to P. Kailola for assistance with the identification of the fish in this image. View larger image. View another image that shows more of the habitat.
The Shovelnose Catfish can be recognised by its forked tail, wide mouth and truncate snout. It usually has a smaller eye than the similar looking Silver Cobbler, Ariopsis midgleyi*.
It grows to at least 60 cm in length.
The Shovelnose Catfish is usually found in freshwaters over soft substrates.
This species is endemic to Australia, occurring from the Roper River, Northern Territory to Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Its distribution is disjunct from that of the Silver Cobbler, which occurs in more westerly drainages including the Victoria, Katherine, Daly, Ord and Kimberley as well as northern waterways such as the Alligator River.
One paratype specimen of this species is stored in the Australian Museum Fish Collection (AMS I.25315-001).
Related links
- View the Catfishes list.
Further Reading
- Kailola, P.J. 2000. Six new species of forktailed catfishes (Pisces, Teleostei, Ariidae) from Australia and New Guinea. The Beagle. Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory. 16: 127–144.
*Eye length is 8.9% - 15.3% of head length in A. paucus versus 12.9% - 21.8% of head length in A. midgleyi.
