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Neosilurus equinus (Weber, 1913)

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Relevant Information:

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6-7; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 75 - 93. Habitat: Mainly restricted to headwater streams in hilly or mountainous terrain. Prefers clear, fast-flowing streams, usually in deep rocky pools. Can ascend torrential steep-gradient streams and small waterfalls. Formerely abundant in the Upper Fly River, but recent surveys indicate a seriously depleted population. Common in mountainous tributaries of the Strickland. Colouration: Generally grey to brownish, lighter below. Aquarium Care: Better suited to larger tanks of 4ft (120cm) or over with rocks and plants provided for cover. This genera are easily spooked in the aquarium. Best kept in small groups of 4-6 individuals. The pectoral and dorsal spines, as is the norm in this genera, are venomous so handle with care. Diet: Feeds on insects, prawns, mollusks and small crayfish. In the aquarium, Snails, insects, prawns, earthworms and other small crustaceans and will take most aquarium foods. Etymology: The specific name equinus: Latin for equine, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to its elongate, horse-like face.

Common Name:

Southern tandan

Synonyms:

Copidoglanis equinus

Family:

Plotosidae

Distribution:

Asia & Oceania: Southern Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), New Guinea. Type locality: Lorentz-Fluss [New Guinea].

Size:

38.0cm. TL (15¼ins)

Temp:

22-28°C (71-83°F)

p.H.

6.0-8.0.

IUCN Red List

This species is widely distributed in hilly or mountainous terrain in central-southern New Guinea from the Upper Kikori River, Papua New Guinea to the Timika region, Papua Province, Indonesia. Although it may be locally threatened by overfishing, there is no indication of significant range wide declines. This species is therefore assessed as Least Concern, although research into its distributions and population is recommended, (IUCN 2020).

Reference:

Allen, G.R., 1991. Field guide to the freshwater fishes of New Guinea. Publication, no. 9. 268 p. Christensen Research Institute, Madang, Papua New Guinea.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2020. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version.
Gerald R. Allen , Andrew W. Storey, Markson Yarrao. Freshwater Fishes of the Fly River, Papua New Guinea January 1, 2008.
Palmer-Newton, A. 2020. Neosilurus equinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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Neosilurus equinus

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