African butter catfish

African butter catfish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Schilbeidae
Genus: Schilbe
Species: S. mystus
Binomial name
Schilbe mystus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms

[1]

  • Schilbe mystus (Linnaeus, 1758) Preferred
  • Bagrus adansonii Valenciennes, 1840 Synonym
  • Bagrus depressirostris Peters, 1852
  • Bagrus schilbeides Valenciennes, 1840
  • Bagrus schilbeoides Valenciennes, 1840
  • Bagrus schilboides Valenciennes, 1840
  • Eutropius adansonii Valenciennes, 1840
  • Eutropius altipinnis Steindachner, 1894
  • Eutropius congensis (non Leach, 1818) Misapplied name
  • Eutropius depressirostris (Peters, 1852)
  • Eutropius grenfelli (non Boulenger, 1900)
  • Eutropius liberiensis (non Hubrecht, 1881)
  • Eutropius mentalis (non Boulenger, 1901)
  • Eutropius nilotica (Rüppell, 1829)
  • Eutropius niloticus (Rüppell, 1829)
  • Eutropius niloticus niloticus (Rüppell, 1829)
  • Eutropius obtusirostris Günther, 1864
  • Eutropius sp. Not applicable Ambiguous synonym
  • Hypophthalmus niloticus Rüppell, 1829
  • Scheilbe mystus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Schilbe auratus Joannis, 1835
  • Schilbe bipinnatus Ehrenberg, 1840
  • Schilbe bouvieri Rochebrune, 1885
  • Schilbe dispela (non Günther, 1864)
  • Schilbe dispila (non Günther, 1864)
  • Schilbe emini Pfeffer, 1896
  • Schilbe hasselquistii Valenciennes, 1840
  • Schilbe mystus fasciata Steindachner, 1870
  • Schilbe mystus fasciatus Steindachner, 1870
  • Schilbe mystus mystus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Schilbe niloticus (Rüppell, 1829)
  • Schilbe palmeri (non Svensson, 1933)
  • Schilbe senegalensis (non Günther, 1864)
  • Schilbe senegallus (non Valenciennes, 1840)
  • Schilbe steindachneri Guimaraes, 1884
  • Schilbe uranoscopus (non Rüppell, 1932)
  • Scilbe mystus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Silurus mystus Linnaeus, 1758

The African butter catfish (Schilbe mystus) is a species of fish in the Schilbeidae family. It is native to all major river systems in Africa. Its natural habitat is freshwater lakes and rivers. Other common names for the fish include butter fish, butter barbel, African glass catfish, lubangu, mystus catfish, silver barbel, and silver catfish.[2]

The African butter catfish possesses a compressed body and very small adipose fin. It can grow up to 40 centimetres (16 in) TL. As a predator it feeds on invertebrates and fish, as well as algae.[3] It has been noted to feed on the fish species Elephant snout (Hyperopsusus bebe) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).[3]

This fish is of commercial importance in many parts of Africa, providing a good-tasting, relatively low-cost source of protein.[3]

Notes

  1. ↑ Encyclopedia of Life. Synonyms. Accessed 3 May 2014.
  2. ↑ Azeroual, A., et al. 2010. Schilbe mystus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Downloaded on 09 April 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Ayoade, A., et al. (2008). Diet and dietary habits of the fish Shilbe mystus (Siluriformes: Shilbeidae) in two artificial lakes in southwestern Nigeria. Rev Biol Trop 56:4 1847-55.

References

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