About Catfish
Of all the fish in the world, catfish are a rare combination: fascinating and delicious. Catfish can walk on land, inflict mortal wounds or grow to the size of a grizzly bear. And although they may not realize it themselves, catfish have proved to be a powerful player in national economies, the scientific community and even extreme sports.
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Identification
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Although a catfish's barbels--the long, slender tactile organs which remind many people of a cat's whiskers--are certainly their most famous feature, these "whiskers" are not present in all species. Instead, all catfish possess a string of small bones called the Weberian apparatus that connect their auditory system to their gas bladder. Catfish also sport a strong spine along the dorsal and pectoral fins, which in many species can deliver a venomous, painful punch. Catfish have no scales, although some species do possess bony plates that serve as a sort of armor.
Geography
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Catfish make their homes on every continent except Antarctica. Of the approximately 3,000 species of catfish worldwide, most species can be found in freshwater habitats, and particular in running water and riverbeds. As nocturnal hunters, catfish typically spend their days in shallow, underwater holes. Several families of catfish, however, have adapted to live underground, or in caves. And while only one species is native to Europe (Silurus glanis, the wels catfish), invasive species of catfish have established themselves from Florida to Asia.
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Types
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Made up of at least three dozen distinct families, the 3,000 plus known species of catfish make up about 5 percent of all species of vertebrates. Their variety is astonishing: the walking catfish in Southeast Asia can actually migrate overland from one pool of water to the other, and the aptly-named electric catfish in tropical Africa can deliver a 350 volt shock to its unlucky prey. Other varieties, like talking or long-whiskered catfish, have become popular aquarium species.
Size
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Although giants get all the attention, catfish actually range more widely in size than any other bony fish. The so-called banjo and pencil catfishes, for example, only reach a maximum length of 1 cm, and many other species grow to barely a foot in length. Many North American species, on the other hand--like the flathead and blue catfish, both found in the Mississippi River--grow up to 5 feet long, and weigh in at over 100 lbs. And on the far end of the scale, full-grown giant Mekong catfish can weigh more than a quarter ton: one specimen caught in Thailand in 2005 tipped the scales at 646 lbs. (see Resources below).
Significance
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More than their whiskers, people love catfish for their taste. Catfish farming has become a major industry in the southern United States, bringing in more than half a billion pounds of catfish each year, to the tune of $425 million in 2003 alone. Catfish aquaculture is similarly huge in Asia: many Thais believe that eating catfish meat can bring good luck, and some Chinese diners believe that a meal of catfish can boost one's intelligence. And in parts of the southern United States, some plucky individuals practice the amateur sport known simply as "noodling." Noodlers catch catfish by wading into shallow riverbed, probing their naked arm into a dark underwater hole, and hoping that a catfish will bite (see Resources below).
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Resources
- Photo Credit National Geographic News
