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Joe Cutler (1) Robert Taylor (2)

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 56-62; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 50 - 58; Vertebrae: 56 - 60. Characterised by a relatively long vomerine tooth plate (5.9-14.4% of head length) and by a relatively short adipose fin (5.9-12.5% of standard length), the length of which is a specific character of Clarias ngamensis; head oval to rectangular in dorsal outline; frontal fontanelle long and narrow (`knife-shaped'); occipital fontanelle small and oval-shaped; pectoral spine robust and slightly curved; the suprabranchial organ consists of well developed arborescent structures. It is distinguished from Clarias gariepinus by having a short adipose fin behind the rayed dorsal and an ovoid vomerine toothplate with granular or blunt teeth. Habitat: The species seems to be nowhere especially abundant but is fairly common in some areas such as weed beds, permanent swamps, quieter waters and muddy bottoms. Prefers vegetated habitats. Reproduction: Breeds during the summer rainy season. May live for 5-6 years. Diet: Feeds on snails. Hard-shelled foods such as mussels are crushed before they are swallowed. Etymology: The specific name ngamensis: –ensis, suffix denoting place: Lake Ngami, Botswana, type locality (but widespread in southern Africa). It is in the subgenus Dinotopteroides Fowler 1930 –oides, having the form of: Dinotopterus, from which it differs in having fewer gill rakers. Remarks: This species has a wide distribution, with no known major widespread threats. It is therefore listed as Least Concern (IUCN 2018).

Blunt-toothed African catfish

Clarias mellandi, Dinotopterus jallae, Dinotopteroides prentissgrayi

Clariidae

Africa: Quanza, Cunene, Okavango, Chobe, Zambezi above Victoria Falls, upper Lualaba, Luapula, Pungwe, Buzi, Save, Limpopo, Incomati, lower Pongolo, and lower Sabi River; Lake Ngami, Moero, Bangweulu, and Malawi. Type locality: lac N’gami, [now: Lake Ngami, S. W. Africa (17º50'W, 21º00'E).

73.0cm. (29¼ins) TL.

23-28°C (73-83°F)

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. 2024. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (04/2024).
iNaturalist 2024
Konings, A., Hanssens, M., Kazembe, J., Marshall, B., Moelants, T. & Tweddle, D. 2018. Clarias ngamensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018.
Skelton, P.H., 1993. A complete guide to the freshwater fishes of southern Africa. Southern Book Publishers. 388 p.
Teugels, G.G., 1986. A systematic revision of the African species of the genus Clarias (Pisces; Clariidae). Ann. Mus. R. Afr. Centr., Sci. Zool., 247:199 p.