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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🍽️ Edible ⚠️ Venomous ⚡ Traumatogenic 🌡️ Tropical

Threadfin sea catfish

Arius arius Hamilton, 1822
Max Length
40 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.5
Depth
-
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
42.00/100
Typical Length
15 cm
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Common in estuaries, tidal rivers and brackish water lakes. Feeds mostly on invertebrates. Caught mainly with bagnets, dipnets and bamboo stake traps, also on hook and line .

Scientific Name
Arius arius
Authority
Hamilton, 1822
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Elongated
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
40 cm
Latitude
10°S – 26°N
Trophic Level
3.5
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
42.00/100
Migration
Amphidromous
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Teleostei
Teleostei
Order
Siluriformes
Siluriformes
Family
Ariidae
Ariidae
Genus
Arius
Arius
Species
Threadfin sea catfish
Arius arius

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Anal soft rays: 17 - 22. Head shield smooth anteriorly with a series of granules and rugae posteriorly. Adipose fin with a large black spot. Lateral line bifurcating at the base of tail. Gill rakers present on the hind aspect of all gill arches. Dorsal spine with a filament at its tip. Moderately deep caudal peduncle, 1.5 to 2.1 (mean 1.8) in its depth. .: elongated.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Threadfin sea catfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous 📦 Batch Spawner 👄 Mouth Brooder
Spawning Season
spring-summer
Spawn Location
Pelagic
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; brackish; demersal; amphidromous . Tropical; 26°N - 10°S, 56°E - 127°E West Pacific: from Oman to India south to Indonesia and north to Philippines and China.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🌿 Brackish ⬇️ Benthic
Migration
Amphidromous
Trophic Level
3.5±0.37

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.0055 × L3.14 (TL)
Max TL
40cm
Dorsal Spines
1
Anal Rays
20

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2009

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
42.00/100
Moderate vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.5
Predator
Body Shape
Elongated
Climate Zone
Tropical
Latitude Range
26°N – 10°S
Described By
Hamilton, 1822

⚠️ Venom Profile

Medical Warning: This species is venomous. Seek immediate medical attention if envenomated. Contact emergency services and follow first aid guidance below.
Venom Type
proteinaceous
Delivery
dorsal and pectoral spines with venom glands
Potency
Mild
Mortality Risk
Low
Symptom Onset
2min
Duration
12.0hrs
Antivenom
✗ Not Available
Named Toxins
crinotoxins protein toxins
Symptoms
  • pain
  • oedema
  • rare systemic effects
Affected Body Systems
peripheral nervous system
First Aid
Hot water immersion.
Medical Treatment

Wound care, analgesia.

References: Compiled from Bhide (2018), Halstead et al. (1988) and family-specific envenomation literature

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Threadfin sea catfish is an edible species."

✗ Not for Raw
✓ Fresh Indicators
  • Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
  • Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
  • Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
  • Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
  • Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
✗ Avoid If
  • Cloudy or sunken eyes
  • Strong fishy or ammonia odour
  • Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
  • Discoloured or dry flesh
Best Cooking Methods
Baking Grilling Pan-frying

⚡ Nutrition

Detailed nutritional data for Threadfin sea catfish is currently being compiled from USDA FoodData Central.

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Threadfin sea catfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact
✓ Sustainable Choice

🔬 Full Nutritional Profile

Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)

Proximate Composition
Energy125 kcal
Moisture75 %
Protein20 %
Total Fat4 %
Ash1.3 %
Fatty Acids (g)
Saturated Fat1 g
Monounsaturated Fat1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat1.5 g
Omega-3 Total1 g
EPA0.3 g
DHA0.5 g
Omega-6 Total0.3 g
Key Minerals & Vitamins
Calcium20 mg
Iron0.7 mg
Magnesium30 mg
Phosphorus220 mg
Potassium380 mg
Sodium55 mg
Zinc0.5 mg
Selenium32 µg
Vitamin B122 µg

📊 Population Dynamics

Year Region Index Notes
- - -

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English threadfin sea catfish
🌍CES křížovec obecný
🇩🇰Danish Trådfinnet havmalle
🇫🇷French mâchoiron fouet
🇵🇹Portuguese Bagre-marinho-da-Indochina
🇷🇺Russian Обыкновенный ариус
🇪🇸Spanish bagre filamentoso
🇨🇳Chinese 絲鰭海鯰

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Arius boakeii Turner 1867 Synonym
Arius buchanani Day 1877 Synonym
Arius cochinchinensis Günther 1864 Synonym
Arius falcarius Richardson 1845 Synonym
Bagrus crinalis Richardson 1846 Synonym
Pimelodus arius Hamilton 1822 Synonym
Pimelodus mong Richardson 1846 Synonym
Tachysurus arius Hamilton 1822 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 2 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

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