SCOTCAT.COM

your internet guide to all things catfish

Mystus wolffii (Bleeker, 1851)

Image contributors to this species:

Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (4)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Nasal barbels longer than head; maxillary barbels reaching to caudal fin; 7-9+18-23 gill rakers on upper and lower arm of first arch. Habitat: Adults occur most commonly in the tidal zone and brackish water reaches of large rivers. In the Mekong basin, it is found in fresh water well upstream in the Tonlé Sap, Cambodia. Diet: Feeds mainly on insects and crustaceans. Reproduction: Oviparous, distinct pairing possibly like other members of the same family. Etymology: The genus name Mystus: "Mystax" meaning whiskered (hair on the upper lip) Mystus was first used by Belon in 1553 to describe all fish with whiskers. The specific name wolffei: in honour of Bleeker’s friend J. Wolff, military doctor, who collected type.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

Bagrus wolffii, Hypselobagrus wolffii, Macrones wolffii

Family:

Bagridae

Distribution:

Asia: Large rivers from Thailand to Indonesia, in the tidal zone and brackish water. Type locality: Bandjarmassing, in fluviis.

Size:

15.0cm (6ins)

Temp:

22-28°C (71-83°F)

p.H.

6.0-7.5.

IUCN Red List

Although there is no detailed information on the population size and trend of this species, it is still abundant throughout its known distribution. While there may be localised or regional threats, they are unlikely to affect this species on a range-wide scale, and it is found within several protected areas. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern (IUCN 2019).

Reference:

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Kottelat, M., A.J. Whitten, S.N. Kartikasari and S. Wirjoatmodjo, 1993. Freshwater fishes of Western Indonesia and Sulawesi. Periplus Editions, Hong Kong. 221 p.
Ng, H.H., Jenkins, A. & Tan, H.H. 2019. Mystus wolffii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019.
Rainboth, W.J. 1996 Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO Species Identification Field Guide for Fishery Purposes. FAO, Rome, 265 p.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Mystus wolffii

Mystus wolffii

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.