Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Bagridae (Bagrid catfishes)
Etymology: Mystus: Greek, mystax = whiskered, used by Belon in 1553 to describe all fishes with whiskers (Ref. 45335); velifer: From the Latin adjective velifer, meaning sail bearing (Latin velum=sail and fero=to bear), in reference to the relatively elongate first dorsal-fin ray of this species, a diagnostic character..
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; demersal. Tropical
Asia: lower Mekong River drainage (upstream to the Tonlé Sap) westwards and
southwards to Songkhla Lake in Peninsula Thailand, including the majority of river drainages debouching into the Gulf of Thailand such as the lower Bang Pakong, Chao Phraya, Mae Khlong and Tapi river drainages.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 91083)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Anal soft rays: 12 - 14; Vertebrae: 38 - 41. Distinguished from other species of Mystus except M. wolffii in having a short-based adipose fin (13.0-17.9% SL) and very long maxillary barbels that reach to or beyond the base of the caudal fin. Can be diagnosed from M. wolffii in having a more produced, narrower snout, a larger eye (23.3-29.2% HL vs. 16.8-23.8), fewer rakers on the first gill arch (22-29 vs. 32-41), and the first dorsal-fin ray produced and reaching to the middle of the adipose-fin base (vs. not produced and reaching to origin of the adipose fin). Differs from M. gulio in having the following characters: shorter head (24.1-27.6% SL vs. 27.5-31.6); longer maxillary barbels (reaching beyond anal-fin origin and frequently to base of caudal fin vs. reaching between pelvic- and anal-fin bases); the (anterior) cranial fontanel reaching past (vs. not reaching) midway between the posterior orbital margin and the base of the supraoccipital spine; longer dorsal spine (16.6-21.2% SL vs. 11.4-16.5); adipose fin with a longer base (13.0-17.9% SL vs. 7.7-11.5) and without (vs. with) a deeply incised posterior margin, and more slender caudal peduncle (8.3-11.1% SL vs. 10.6-13.0) (Ref. 91083).
Facultative air-breathing in the genus (Ref. 126274); Occurs in the lower reaches and estuaries of river drainages (Ref. 91083).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Ng, H.H., 2012. Mystus velifer, a new species of catfish from Indochina (Teleostei: Bagridae). Zootaxa 3398:58-68. (Ref. 91083)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00977 (0.00440 - 0.02172), b=3.00 (2.82 - 3.18), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
