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Dusky sheatfish (Silurichthys phaiosoma) — Siluridae

Dusky sheatfish

Silurichthys phaiosoma
Family: Siluridae

The Dusky sheatfish (Silurichthys phaiosoma) is a freshwater fish of the family Siluridae that grows up to 15 cm.

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

Description

The Dusky sheatfish is a sheatfish (Siluridae) from slow-flowing, shaded fresh water of Sundaland in Southeast Asia. The species grows to about 12 cm and has a slender, scaleless, brown-marbled body with a long anal fin, a small or absent dorsal fin and two pairs of barbels. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it shelters by day among leaf litter and roots and snaps at insect larvae, small crustaceans and worms. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Dusky sheatfish?

The Dusky sheatfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern.

Where does the Dusky sheatfish live?

The Dusky sheatfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Dusky sheatfish get?

The Dusky sheatfish grows to a maximum of about 15 cm.

Is the Dusky sheatfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Dusky sheatfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Dusky sheatfish edible?

The Dusky sheatfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Donkere bladmeerval sourced
English name
Dusky sheatfish sourced
Scientific name
Silurichthys phaiosoma
Family
Siluridae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
15.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Barbels
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
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 Silurichthys

More from the family Siluridae

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