Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic. Tropical; 9°N - 13°S, 59°W - 34°W
South America: Atlantic coastal rivers from Guyana to northeastern Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3265); common length : 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3265); max. published weight: 33.30 g (Ref. 118626)
Dorsal spines (total): 1. Three pair of barbels on rostral region, two pairs on lower jaw, one pair on posterior end of maxilla; end of maxilla barbel reaching pectoral fin insertion; large saddle-shaped bony plate with rugosa surface in front of dorsal fin, anterior margin of this plate waved but no deep medial incision; body yellow or gray-yellow dorsally, white ventrally (Ref. 13608).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Found in turbid waters over muddy bottoms in shallow coastal areas, also around estuaries (Ref. 3265), and coastal rivers (Ref. 39852). Food items include bottom-living invertebrates. Marketed fresh. Exported frozen (Ref. 5217). Reproduction period is probably between September and November. Egg diameter is 9-11 mm. Males practice mouth brooding of the eggs. (Ref. 35381).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Taylor, W.R. and N.A. Menezes, 1978. Ariidae. In W. Fischer (ed.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. West Atlantic (Fishing Area 31). volume 1. [pag. var.]. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 3265)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic (Ref. 58010)
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 26.9 - 28.2, mean 27.5 °C (based on 66 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00589 (0.00388 - 0.00894), b=3.12 (3.00 - 3.24), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.37 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Prior r = 0.58, 95% CL = 0.38 - 0.87, Based on 1 data-limited stock assessment.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100).
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Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 85.4 [43.1, 173.7] mg/100g; Iron = 0.769 [0.461, 1.295] mg/100g; Protein = 16.2 [14.6, 18.1] %; Omega3 = 0.166 [0.089, 0.317] g/100g; Selenium = 67.3 [33.7, 136.1] μg/100g; VitaminA = 29.3 [12.1, 71.0] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.44 [0.97, 2.25] mg/100g (wet weight);
