Netuma thalassina (Rüppell, 1837)
Giant catfish
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| Netuma thalassina AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS |
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Netuma thalassina
Picture by Shao, K.T.
Pictures | Stamps, coins, misc. | Google image
Picture by Shao, K.T.
Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) > Siluriformes (Catfishes) > Ariidae (Sea catfishes) > Ariinae
Etymology: Netuma: A Tamil word that means "dance".
More on author: Rüppell.
Etymology: Netuma: A Tamil word that means "dance".
More on author: Rüppell.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; amphidromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 10 - 195 m (Ref. 12260). Subtropical; 34°N - 34°S, 32°E - 154°E
Distribution Territories | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Indo-West Pacific: known with certainty from the Red Sea and the northwestern Indian Ocean. Also reported from Australia, Polynesia and Japan and rarely in the Mekong delta (Ref. 12693).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 36.3, range 33 - 45 cm
Max length : 185 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 30573); common length : 70.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9987); max. published weight: 1.0 kg (Ref. 4883)
Max length : 185 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 30573); common length : 70.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9987); max. published weight: 1.0 kg (Ref. 4883)
Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
A marine species often found in estuaries, but rarely enters freshwater. Typically euryhaline (Ref. 3876). Reported to occasionally ascend into fresh water (Ref. 12693). Recorded at temperatures ranging from 26-29°C. Feeds mainly on crabs, prawns, mantis shrimps (Squilla species) but also on fishes and mollusks. An important food fish. Marketed mostly fresh; often dried.
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Incubates eggs in the mouth. The fry continue to take refuge in the mouths of the male fish for the first 2 months and once they leave, the males start to eat avidly and may consume their own young.
Main reference
Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Ferraris, Jr., Carl J. | Collaborators
Rainboth, W.J., 1996. Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. FAO, Rome, 265 p. (Ref. 12693)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 14 August 2023
CITES
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic (Ref. 58010)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
FAO - Fisheries: landings search; Publication: search | FishSource | Sea Around Us
More information
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Anatomy
Gill area
Brain
Otolith
Gill area
Brain
Otolith
Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Genetics
Genome
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability
Genetic Diversity
Genome
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability
Genetic Diversity
Tools
E-book | Field guide | Identification keys | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map |
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Special reports
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Internet sources
AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Fisheries: landings search; Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | National databases | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record
Estimates based on models
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Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804) |
PD50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high]. |
| Bayesian length-weight | a=0.00794 (0.00684 - 0.00922), b=3.07 (3.03 - 3.11), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245). |
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Trophic level (Ref. 69278) |
3.5 ±0.2 se; based on diet studies. |
| Generation time | 17.2 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 2 growth studies. |
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Resilience (Ref. 120179) |
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.06-0.45; tm=2-4; tmax=19; Fec=34-88). |
| Rate of population increase | Prior r = 0.31, 95% CL = 0.20 - 0.46, Based on 4 data-limited stock assessments. |
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Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153) |
Moderate to high vulnerability (48 of 100). 🛈 |
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Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649) |
High vulnerability (57 of 100). 🛈 |
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Price category (Ref. 80766) |
Medium. |
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Nutrients (Ref. 124155) |
Calcium = 26.3 [14.3, 64.9] mg/100g; Iron = 0.78 [0.47, 1.40] mg/100g; Protein = 18.1 [16.3, 19.9] %; Omega3 = 0.348 [0.179, 0.692] g/100g; Selenium = 46.2 [23.4, 97.4] μg/100g; VitaminA = 6.46 [2.31, 18.39] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.682 [0.451, 1.055] mg/100g (wet weight); |