BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
OF AFRICAN CATFISH
2.1 TAXONOMY OF CATFISH
Although more than 100 different
species of the Genus Clarias have
been described in Africa , a recent systematic
revision based on morphological, anatomical and biographical studies has been
carried out by Teugels, who recognized 32 valid species. The large African
species which are of interest for aquaculture belong to the subgenus Clarias. In earlier systematic studies
on the large African catfish species Boulenger as well as David recognized five
species within this subgenus.
Both authors used morphological
criteria such as form of vomerine teeth, ratio of vomerine to premaxillary
teeth band and the number of gill rakers. The five species are;
v Clarias anguilarus;
v Clarias senegalensis;
v Clarias lazera;
v Clarias mossambicus; and
v Clarias gariepinus;
In 1982 Teugels revised the subgenus Clarias and found only two species (C. gariepinus and C. anguillaris) if the
number of gill rakers on the first branchial arch was considered; for C.
anguillarias the number of gill rakers was rather low (14 to 40) while for C.
gariepinus, it was relatatively high (20 to 100).
