Madagascar Sea Catfish

Body moderately compressed (Ref. 56505). Head width 17.5-20.5 % of SL (Ref. 56505). A single pair of ovoid vomerine tooth patches (Ref. 56505). Dorsal surface of head and body uniform gray to grayish brown, upper third of head and body darkest, gradually fading to a lighter color along middle third of head and body; lower third and ventral surfaces of head and body dirty white (Ref. 56505). Adipose fin gray, dorsal-fin rays gray, fin-rays of all other fins with scattered gray melanophores (Ref. 56505).

Anadromous. Fish that ascend rivers to spawn, as salmon and hilsa do. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Analsoft rays: 16

Caught with stake traps, shore seines and bagnets, also on hook and line. Common in rivers and lakes (Ref. 3876), also found in estuaries (Ref. 5213)

fisheries: commercial

The Madagascar sea catfish (Arius madagascariensis) is a species of fish in the family Ariidae. It is found in Madagascar, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are rivers, freshwater lakes, shallow seas, and estuarine waters. The Madagascar Sea Catfish has a common length of 20 centimeters, but may reach 70 centimeters.

Caught with stake traps, shore seines and bagnets, also on hook and line. Common in rivers and lakes (Ref. 3876), also found in estuaries (Ref. 5213)