Mesopotamian Catfish
Silurus triostegus Heckel, 1843
Also calledEsbele (fas) · siluro mesopotamico (ita) · sumec irácký (ces) · جري بلاد ما بين النهرين (ara) · سلور بلاد ما بين النهرين (ara) · سلور دجلة (ara) · ماسی نقە (kur)
First described in: Heckel, J. J. (1843). Ichthyologie [von Syrien]. <em>In: J. von Russegger. Reisen in Europa, Asien und Africa, mit besonderer Rücksicht auf die naturwissenschaftlichen Verhältnisse der betreffenden Länder unternommen in den Jahren 1835 bis 1841, etc. Stuttgart.</em> v. 1 (pt 2), pp 990-1099.
Silurus triostegus, the Mesopotamian catfish, is a species of catfish found in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
Descriptions from checklists and floras indexed by GBIF
biology_ecology
Habitat. Large rivers, marshes, lakes, and reservoirs. Biology. Lives up to 12 years in the wild, likely much longer. Spawns first time after 2 – 3 years (Atatürk reservoir).
Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia
diagnosis
Diagnosis. Distinguished from S. glanis by: ● usually one pair of mental barbels in adults larger than 400 mm SL / ● maxillary barbel usually about equal to head length / ● if anterior mandibular barbel present, shorter than posterior mandibular barbel / ● usually two patches of vomerine teeth / ● pectoral spine strongly serrated on its inner margin. Size up to about 2000 mm SL.
Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia
discussion
Remarks. All the diagnostic characters may overlap with those of S. glanis, but the combination of all the characters should allow its identification. So far, and despite many introductions of Silurus, the two species are still allopatric.
Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia
distribution
Distribution in the area. Endemic. Widespread in the Euphrates and Tigris drainages.
A Critical Checklist of the Inland Fishes Native to the Euphrates and Tigris Drainages
Where it has been recorded
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Silurus triostegus in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
From the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence records (GBIF.org), with Wikipedia and the Source Library. GBIF species 2337619.