Ictalurus, Trichomycterus, Malapterurus and Vandellia

Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque 1818, up to 65 cm in length) is the extant channel catfish. The skull bones are reduced here. Note the placement of the pectoral girdle beneath the rear of the skull. This omnivore has sharp serrated spines on the pectoral fins.

Malapterurus electricus (Lacepede 1803, originally Silurus electricus Gmelin 1789, Murray AM and Holmes RB 2022, 1.2m in length) is the extant electric catfish, native to the fresh waters of Africa. Here it nests basal to the South American electric eel and knifefish, but closer to the tiny South American catfish, Vandellia. Like its relatives, the pectoral muscle surrounds most of the body and generates up to 400V. The skull is wider than relatives and has a sagittal crest. The premaxilla is relatively large because it is the result of fusion of the two loose parts. Note the posterior placement of the pelvic fins.

Vandellia sanguinea (Valenciennes 1846; up to 3 cm in length) is the extant candiru a tiny vampire catfish that swims into the gills of larger fish, attaches itself, then feeds off the blood. Vandellia can engorge itself enormously and depart within 30 to 145 seconds. Note the splitting of the jugals (cyan) and external quadrate (red) creating little hooks at four points around the skull.

Trichomycterus punctulatus (Adriaens, Baskin and Coppens 2010; Valenciennes 1846 in Cuvier and Valencinnes 1846, 5–15cm long) is an extant South American freshwater catfish with no common name. Here and elsewhere it nests with the much smaller Vandellia. This catfish is adapted to strong river currents at high elevations.

Adriaens D, Baskin JN and Coppens H 2010. Evolutionary morphology of trichomyterid catfishes: about hanging on and digging in. In: Origin and Phylogenetic Interrelationships of Teleosts. Nelson JS, Schultze H-P and Wilson MVH (eds.): pp. 337-362, 10 figs.
© 2010 by Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, München, Germany – ISBN 978-3-89937-107-9

Cuvier G. and Valenciennes A. 1846: Histoire naturelle des poissons. Tome dix-huitième. Suite du livre dixhuitième. Cyprinoïdes. Livre dix-neuvième. Des Ésoces ou Lucioïdes. Historie naturelle des poissons. Tome Sixième. – 505 pp.; Paris (P. Bertrand).

Rafinesque CS 1818. The American monthly magazine and critical review 4: 41.

Lacepède BGE 1803. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Vol. 5. Chez Plassan, Imprimeur-Libraire, Paris. 803 pp.

Murray AM and Holmes RB 2022. Osteology of the cranium and Weberian apparatus
of African catfish families (Teleostei: Ostariophysi: Siluriformes) with an assessment of genera from the Palaeogene of Africa. Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology 9:156–191/

Valenciennes MA 1846. Histoire naturelle des poissons. Paris, P. Bertrand 19:534 pp.

wiki/Ictalurus
wiki/Vandellia
wiki/Malapterurus_electricus
wiki/Trichomycterus

Siluriformes

Clarias

Guiyu

Hoplosternum

Ictalurus

Electrophorus

Acanthodii

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