Hardhead catfish

Hardhead catfish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Ariidae
Genus: Ariopsis
Species:
A. felis
Binomial name
Ariopsis felis
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Synonyms[2]
  • Arius felis (Linnaeus, 1766)
  • Arius milberti Valenciennes, 1840
  • Galeichthys felis (Linnaeus, 1766)
  • Galeichthys milberti (Valenciennes, 1840)
  • Hexanematichthys felis (Linnaeus, 1766)
  • Silurus felis Linnaeus, 1766

The hardhead catfish (Ariopsis felis) is a species of sea catfish from the northwest Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, and similar to the gafftopsail catfish (Bagre marinus). It is one of four species in the genus Ariopsis.[3] The common name, hardhead catfish, is derived from the presence of a hard, bony plate extending rearward toward the dorsal fin from a line between the catfish's eyes.[4] It is an elongated marine catfish that reaches up to 28 in (70 cm) in length and 12 lb (5.5 kg) in weight.[5] Their typical weight is less than 1 lb (450 g), but they commonly reach up to 3 lb (1.4 kg). They are often a dirty gray color on top, with white undersides.

  1. ^ Betancur, R. (2015). "Ariopsis felis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T190456A1952682. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T190456A1952682.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Ariopsis felis (Linnaeus, 1766)". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Ariopsis". FishBase. February 2017 version.
  4. ^ Webster, Pearse. Hardhead Catfish. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. http://www.dnr.sc.gov/cwcs/pdf/Hardheadcatfish.pdf Archived 2010-05-27 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Ariopsis felis". FishBase. February 2017 version.