Three Eel-Like Catfish Discovered
Posted by: Loren Coleman on July 18th, 2007
News and photographs of new fish species are routinely published in Practical Fishkeeping. Above are photos of the new Mexican catfish discovered in 2005.
This week, the magazine is noting three new eel-like catfish species.
Belgian scientists have described three new species belonging to the African eel-like clariid genus Channallabes.
Publishing their results in the latest issue of the journal Belgian Journal of Zoology, Stijn Devaere, Dominique Adriaens and Walter Verraes of Ghent University describe Channallabes ogooensis and C. teugelsi in one study and C. sanghaensis in another.
The eel-like clariids of Africa are also rediagnosed in the first study, with Gymnallabes alvarezi and Clariallabes longicaudatus both reassigned to Channallabes. [More info on each new species at site.]Practical Fishkeeping - Bretton, Peterborough, UK
Practical Fishkeeping does an excellent job in sharing news of new species of fish that have been discovered, re-discovered, and more. Most of these notices appeal, as their name implies, to people who keep fish, but the information they convey is invaluable to all interested in new fish species news.
For example, see the following recent stories on new catfish, referenced in Practical Fishkeeping:
(1) News on May 6, 2007 of an armored catfish previously believed to be extinct being re-discovered in Suriname, the dwarf suckermouth catfish, Harttiella crassicauda.
(2) A review (noted on March 15, 2007) of the South American shovelnose catfish Sorubim has recognized five species as valid.
(3) New catfish found in Brazil - 2006.
(4) New catfish found in China - 2005.
(5) New giant catfish found in Amazon - 2005.
(6) A new catfish from Mexico is so weird that it’s been placed in a brand new genus and family all of its own - 2005.
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That’s a lot of catfish being discovered “all of the sudden”. I understand that catfish are some of the smartest, adaptable and amazing fish out there. They are able to live in places no other fish can. Some have adapted to “walking” (flopping around and using their front fins for direction) in order to find another water hole, usually because their’s dried up. I’d like to see a pic of these eel catfish.
That is a great site. You are always hearing of new species of catfish. Unfortunately I can’t stand them unless they are deep fried on a plate with french fries.
Ah, the power of the informed amateur naturalist/hobbyist!