Broadhead catfish

Broadhead catfish
Preserved specimen, possibly from Thailand.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Clariidae
Genus: Clarias
Species:
C. macrocephalus
Binomial name
Clarias macrocephalus
Günther, 1864
Fried Pla duk (ปลาดุก) in Bangkok

The broadhead catfish (Clarias macrocephalus) is an economically important air-breathing catfish that is a native of Southeast Asia. The fish is farmed in ponds for use in human consumption in countries such as Thailand (Thai: ปลาดุกอุย) and the Philippines. However, native populations now face extinction due to man-made activities and genetic introgression due to interbreeding with escaped aquaculture hybrids.

In Thailand both this fish and the walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) are known as Pla Duk (Thai: ปลาดุก). They are common inexpensive food items, prepared in a variety of ways, being often offered by street vendors, especially barbecued or fried.[2]

  1. ^ Ng, H.H., Torres, A.G., Ballad, E.L. & Kesner-Reyes, K. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/166020/1105959 In: IUCN 2021. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-2. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 20 October 2021.
  2. ^ Pla duk Archived 2009-02-01 at the Wayback Machine (in Thai)