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Chinese longsnout catfish (Leiocassis longirostris) — Bagridae

Chinese longsnout catfish

Leiocassis longirostris
Family: Bagridae

The Chinese longsnout catfish (Leiocassis longirostris) is a fish of the family Bagridae that grows up to 80 cm.

Length
80.4 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Highly prized

Description

The Chinese longsnout catfish is a large bagrid catfish (Bagridae) from large rivers of China, including the Yangtze, recently placed in the genus Tachysurus. The species grows to about 80 cm and has a streamlined, scaleless, grey-pink body with a long, flattened snout and four pairs of barbels. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it searches sand and mud bottoms for small fish, crustaceans and insect larvae. It is a highly valued food and aquaculture fish. The pectoral and dorsal fin spines are sharp and can prick; otherwise the fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Chinese longsnout catfish?

The Chinese longsnout catfish is mainly pink-purple and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Chinese longsnout catfish live?

The Chinese longsnout catfish is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Chinese longsnout catfish get?

The Chinese longsnout catfish grows to a maximum of about 80 cm. On average the species is around 48 cm.

Is the Chinese longsnout catfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Chinese longsnout catfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Chinese longsnout catfish edible?

Yes, the Chinese longsnout catfish is a highly prized food fish.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Langsnuit-meerval sourced
English name
Chinese longsnout catfish sourced
Scientific name
Leiocassis longirostris
Family
Bagridae
Other names
Tachysurus dumerili sourced

Appearance

Max length (cm)
80.4 verified
Average length (cm)
48.2 sourced
Dominant colour
Pink / purple sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Highly prized sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Leiocassis

More from the family Bagridae

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