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Bumblebee catfish (Pseudopimelodus bufonius) — Pseudopimelodidae

Bumblebee catfish

Pseudopimelodus bufonius
LC · Least Concern

The Bumblebee catfish (Pseudopimelodus bufonius) is a freshwater fish of the family Pseudopimelodidae that grows up to 25 cm.

Length
24.5 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The bumblebee catfish is a South American catfish of the family Pseudopimelodidae from the Amazon and Orinoco basins. The species grows to about 25 cm and has a stocky body with a broad, flattened head and a large mouth, and a brown pattern with dark bands. It inhabits rivers and creeks, where by day it hides under wood and among stones and at night lies in ambush for small fishes and invertebrates. The stout, serrated pectoral spines can give painful puncture wounds and are hard to remove; therefore handle the fish with care.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bumblebee catfish?

The Bumblebee catfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Bumblebee catfish live?

The Bumblebee catfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Bumblebee catfish get?

The Bumblebee catfish grows to a maximum of about 25 cm.

Is the Bumblebee catfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Bumblebee catfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Bumblebee catfish edible?

The Bumblebee catfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Padmeerval sourced
English name
Bumblebee catfish sourced
Scientific name
Pseudopimelodus bufonius
Family
Pseudopimelodidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
24.5 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Vertical bars inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Pseudopimelodus

More from the family Pseudopimelodidae

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