Jian
Ruilong (1)
Donald Taphorn (1) Gerry
van Tonder (2)
ScotCat
Sources:
Other
Sources:
Relevant
Information:
The classification of species
within the Ariidae is arguably the most poorly resolved
of any catfish family. In recent years, there have
been three independent attempts to examine the phylogeny
of the family (Marceniuk, 2003; Kailola, 2004; and
Betancur et al., 2004) and produce classifications
that reflect the resulting phylogenetic hypotheses
(see Ferraris 2007). Description:
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total):
7; Anal soft rays: 18 - 20; Vertebrae: 49 - 51. This
species is distinguished by the following characters:
in life, yellowish body; swim bladder divided into
3 chambers; shield-shaped nuchal plate, usually larger
than the supraoccipital process; head shield exposed
and granulated in orbital and postorbital regions;
first 2 gill with no mesial gill rakers. Sciades
parkeri can further be distinguished from sympatric
congeners by the following: fleshy furrow connecting
posterior nares absent (vs. present in S.
couma, S.
herzbergiiand S. passany); moderately sized posterior
chamber of swim bladder (vs. small in S.
proops; absent
in S. couma, S. herzbergii, S. passany);
nuchal plate with no anterior notch (vs. anterior
notched in S. proops, sometimes notched in
S. herzbergii); palatal patches forming a
U-shaped band (vs. transverse in S. passany,
lateral edge on accessory patches not emarginated
or shallowly notched; lateral edge with an angled
and pronounced notch in S. proops).
Habitat: Mainly found in turbid waters over
muddy bottoms in coastal areas, estuaries and lower
parts of rivers. Sexually mature after around two
years of age. Upon hatching, the alevins are relatively
large, approximately 6.0-6.5 cm. Aquarium
Care: Grows too large for the home aquarium.
Western
Atlantic: from
the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela to Maranhao State, Brazil.
Habitat: brackish, marine.
Size:
190cm. TL (6ft 4ins)
Temp:
22-26°c
(71-79°f)
p.H.
7.0-8.0.
Reference:
Betancur, R., Marceniuk,
A.P., Giarrizzo, T. & Fredou, F.L. 2015.
Sciades parkeri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
2015. Betancur-R., R.: Marceniuk,
A.P. and P. Béarez,
2008. Taxonomic status and redescription of the gillbacker
sea catfish (Siluriformes: Ariidae: Sciades parkeri).
Copeia 2008(4):827-834 Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors.
2015. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
www.fishbase.org, ( 08/2015 ). Marceniuk P. Alexandre & Menzes A. Naircio.
Systematics of the family Ariidae (Ostariophysi, Siluriformes),
with a redefinition of the genera (Zootaxa 1416) 126
pp.; 30 cm. 2007. www.gbif.org www.inaturalist.org
If you would like to contribute to the monthly
factsheets with an article, information or photos, please e-mail
me. You will of course be credited for your work.
If you would like to donate any denomination
of monies to the site just click the above link button. All proceeds
will go to running the site and hopefully to keep it going for a few
years yet.