The rock-catfish, ''Austroglanis sclateri'', is a species of
catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive ...
in the family
Austroglanididae
''Austroglanis'' is the only genus in the catfish family Austroglanididae. This family was split off from the Bagridae catfish family. All three species of catfishes in the family Austroglanididae are endemic to southern Africa (South Africa and ...
. This freshwater fish is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to the
Vaal River
The Vaal River ( ; Khoemana: ) is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source near Breyten in Mpumalanga province, east of Johannesburg and about north of Ermelo and only about from the Indian Ocean. ...
in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
. It is also found in
Lesotho and
Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
.
Distribution
Africa:Endemic to the Orange-Vaal system, South Africa. Also found in Lesotho and Namibi
Size
Length: 300mm Weight:
1KG
Behavior
Occurs in rocky habitats in flowing water, favoring rapids. Feeds on invertebrates, especially insects, taken from rock surfaces; larger specimens also take small fish. Rarely caught b
References
Annals of the South African Museum = Annale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum (1898)* Skelton, P.H., 1993. ''A complete guide to the freshwater fishes of southern Africa.'' Southern Book Publishers. 388 p.
Austroglanis
Freshwater fish of South Africa
Fish described in 1901
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
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