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Pangasius macronema Bleeker, 1851

Image contributors to this species:

Jean-Francois Helias (2) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (1) Fishes of Mainland Southeast Asia (1) Cheilinus Aquarium Photography (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 7; Anal soft rays: 30 - 38. Relatively deep body; lacks mid-lateral and abdominal stripes; lacks black spot at dorsal-fin origin; teeth on roof of mouth in 4 separate patches (2 vomerine and 3 palatine patches); maxillary barbel reaches tip of pectoral fin. Habitat: Spends the dry season in deep pool refuge habitats in the Mekong mainstream, and possibly some of the larger tributaries. Three populations of this species exist, the first in Thakhek, Khammouan province of the Lao PDR to Chiang Saen, in Chiang Rai province of Thailand. Second in Khemmaratch, Ubon Ratchathani province of Thailand in the north, down to Kratie province in Cambodia. The third population overlaps the second and is distributed from Stung Treng in Cambodia, down to the Bassac River in Can Tho province and to the Mekong Delta. Reproduction: spawns in large schools in the Mekong mainstream during the flood season, possibly later than most other pangasiid species. Both juveniles and adults enter floodplain habitats to feed. At the beginning of the dry season, they move back to the river channels and migrate towards their dry-season habitats associated with deep pools. Diet: larvae and juveniles feed in floodplain habitats, e.g. in Southern Cambodia and Viet Nam. Adults feed mainly in large rivers near the surface, often relying on vision to capture their prey, which include dragonflies.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

Pangasius siamensis

Family:

Pangasiidae

Distribution:

Asia: Mekong and Chao Phraya River basins, Java, and Borneo. Type locality: Banjermassing, in fluviis.

Size:

30.0cm. (12ins)

Temp:

22-28°C (71-83°F)

p.H.

6.5-7.5.

Reference:

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Ng, H.H. pers.comm.
Poulsen, A.F., K.G. Hortle, J. Valbo-Jorgensen, S. Chan, C.K.Chhuon, S. Viravong, K. Bouakhamvongsa, U. Suntornratana, N. Yoorong, T.T. Nguyen and B.Q. Tran. 2004. Distribution and Ecology of Some Important Riverine Fish Species of the Mekong River Basin. MRC Technical Paper No. 10. ISSN: 1683-1489.
Rainboth, W.J. 1996 Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO Species Identification Field Guide for Fishery Purposes. FAO, Rome, 265 p.

Family: Pangasiidae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails

Pangasius macronema
Juvenile-Nung River near Vientiane, Laos

Pangasius macronema
Juvenile, head view-Nung River near Vientiane, Laos

Pangasius macronema
Juvenile

Pangasius macronema
Chao Phraya River, Bangkok, Thailand

Pangasius macronema

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