Obbes' Catfish, Porochilus obbesi Weber, 1913

Scientific name: Porochilus obbesi
<i>Porochilus obbesi </i> Click to enlarge image
Two Obbes' Catfish photographed in an aquarium. The fish were collected at a depth of 0.5m in a backwater swampy area of Burton's Creek, south-west of Darwin, October 2002. Image: David Wilson
© David Wilson

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Porochilus
    Species
    obbesi
    Family
    Plotosidae
    Order
    Siluriformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 12 cm in length, but is more commonly seen up to 8 cm.

Introduction

Obbes' Catfish ranges from grey to brown in colour, sometimes with one or two pale stripes on the side of the body. The species occurs in slow-flowing freshwater streams and backwaters.

Identification

Obbes' Catfish has a tapering body with a short-based first dorsal fin. It's long-based anal fin is continuous with the caudal and second dorsal fin. The first dorsal and pectoral fins are each preceded by a sharp spine. It is grey to brown, sometimes with one or two pale stripes on the side of the body.

Habitat

The species occurs in slow-flowing freshwater streams and backwaters.

Distribution

The species occurs in southern Papua New Guinea and northern Australia. In Australia it has been recorded from Yam Creek (Daly River Drainage) and Fish Creek (East Alligator River Drainage), Northern Territory and the Wenlock and Jardine Rivers near the tip of Cape York, Queensland. It has also been collected from other areas in the northern Northern Territory (pers. comm. D. Buckle and R. Luxon, 2003).

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Australia. T.F.H. Publications. Pp. 240.
  2. Allen, G.R. 1991. Field Guide to The Freshwater Fishes of New Guinea. Christensen Research Institute. Pub. 9. Pp. 268.
  3. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  4. Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & M. Allen. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 394.
  5. Merrick, J.R. & G.E. Schmida. 1984. Australian Freshwater Fishes. Biology and Management. John R. Merrick. Pp. 409.
  6. Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen & J.E. Hanley. 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol.7 Pisces Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Survey. Pp. i-xii, 1-665.