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Slender thorny catfish (Nemadoras humeralis) — Doradidae

Slender thorny catfish

Nemadoras humeralis
Family: Doradidae

The Slender thorny catfish (Nemadoras humeralis) is a freshwater fish of the family Doradidae that grows up to 16 cm.

Length
16.3 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Amazon and Orinoco basins
Edibility
Rarely eaten

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Description

The slender thorny catfish is a thorny catfish (Doradidae) from the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America. The species grows to about 16 cm and has a slender, silvery body with a row of bony, thorny plates along the lateral line, three pairs of long barbels and an elongate dorsal-fin ray. As a bottom-oriented omnivore it lives in rivers and flooded forests and searches for insect larvae, small crustaceans and plant material. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Slender thorny catfish?

The Slender thorny catfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern. Row of bony thorn plates and long barbels; slender thorny catfish

Where does the Slender thorny catfish live?

The Slender thorny catfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Amazon and Orinoco basins

How big does the Slender thorny catfish get?

The Slender thorny catfish grows to a maximum of about 16 cm.

Is the Slender thorny catfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Slender thorny catfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Slender thorny catfish edible?

The Slender thorny catfish is rarely eaten.

More photos

Slender thorny catfish (Nemadoras humeralis) — Doradidae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Rudolf Kner (Public domain)
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All data

Identification

English name
Slender thorny catfish verified
Scientific name
Nemadoras humeralis
Family
Doradidae
Other names
Manaus mouse catfish sourced

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
16.3 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Natural range
Amazon and Orinoco basins verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Insect larvae, crustaceans and plant matter inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Bottom-oriented thorny catfish; follows seasonal floods. sourced
Special features
Row of bony thorn plates and long barbels; slender thorny catfish sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

More from the family Doradidae

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