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{{Other uses}} {{Other uses}}
{{Taxobox {{Taxobox
| name = Catfish | name = kick your ass
| fossil_range = Late ] – present | fossil_range = your mum
| image = Ameiurus melas by Duane Raver.png | image = hi jia
| image_caption = ]
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = ]ia
| phylum = ]
| superclassis = ]
| classis = ]
| subclassis = ]
| infraclassis = ]
| superordo = ]
| ordo = '''Siluriformes'''
| ordo_authority = ], 1817
| subdivision_ranks = Families<ref>{{FishBase order | order = Siluriformes| month = December | year = 2011}}</ref>
| subdivision =
- Extant Families -<br />
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'']''<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;'']''<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;'']''<ref>Vincent, M. & Thomas, J. (2011): Kryptoglanis shajii, ''an enigmatic subterranean-spring catfish (Siluriformes, Incertae sedis) from Kerala, India.'' Ichthyological Research, 58 (2): 161-165.</ref><br /><br />
- Extinct Family -<br />
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}}
'''Catfishes''' (] '''Siluriformes''') are a diverse group of ] ]. Named for their prominent ]s, which resemble a cat's ]s, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the ] from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the ] of Eurasia, to ]s (species that eat dead material on the bottom), and even to a tiny ] species commonly called the ], ''Vandellia cirrhosa''. There are armour-plated types and also naked types, neither having scales. Despite their name, not all catfish have prominent barbels; members of the Siluriformes order are defined by features of the skull and ]. Catfish are of considerable commercial importance; many of the larger species are ] or fished for food. Many of the smaller species, particularly the genus '']'', are important in the ]. Catfish are ].<ref name="aworld"></ref><ref name="samer"></ref>

==Distribution and habitat==
Extant catfish species live inland or in coastal waters of every continent except ]. Catfish have inhabited all continents at one time or another.<ref name="Nelson"/> Catfish are most diverse in ] South America, Africa, and Asia.<ref name=tol/> More than half of all catfish species live in the Americas. They are the only ]s that have entered ] habitats in ], Australia, and ].<ref name="Bruton">{{cite journal|url=http://www.edpsciences.org/articles/alr/pdf/1996/05/alr96hs02.pdf?access=ok|format=PDF|title=Alternative life-history strategies of catfishes|last=Bruton|first=Michael N.|journal=Aquat. Living Resour.|year=1996|volume=9|pages=35–41|doi=10.1051/alr:1996040|accessdate=2009-06-22}}</ref>

They are found in freshwater environments, though most inhabit shallow, running water.<ref name="Bruton"/> Representatives of at least eight families are ] (live underground) with three families that are also ] (inhabiting caves).<ref>{{cite journal|title=Morphological Adaptations of the Texas Blind Catfishes ''Trogloglanis pattersoni'' and ''Satan eurystomus'' (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) to Their Underground Environment|first=Thomas G.|last=Langecker|coauthors=Longley, Glenn|journal=]|year=1993|pages=976–986|doi=10.2307/1447075|volume=1993|issue=4|jstor=1447075}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Mexican blindcats genus ''Prietella'' (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae): an overview of recent explorations|first=Dean A.|last=Hendrickson|coauthors=Krejca, Jean K.; Martinez, Juan Manuel Rodríguez|journal=Environmental Biology of Fishes|volume=62|pages=315–337|year=2001|doi=10.1023/A:1011808805094}}</ref> One such species is '']'', known to live underground in ] habitats.<ref name=pcisternarum>{{FishBase species|genus=Phreatobius|species=cisternarum|year=2007|month=Apr}}</ref> Numerous species from the families ] and ], and a few species from among the ] and ], are found in salt water.<ref>Monks N. (editor): ''Brackish Water Fishes'', TFH 2006, ISBN 0-7938-0564-3</ref><ref>Schäfer F: ''Brackish Water Fishes'', Aqualog 2005, ISBN 3-936027-82-X</ref>

In the United States, catfish species may be known by a variety of slang names, just as ''mud cat'', ''polliwogs'', or ''chuckleheads''.<ref></ref> These nicknames are not standardized, so one area may call a Bullhead catfish by the nickname ''chucklehead'', while in another state or region, that nickname refers to the Blue catfish.

==Physical characteristics==
===External anatomy of catfish===
]''.]]

Most catfish are ]. In general, they are ], which means that they will usually sink rather than float due to a reduced ] and a heavy, bony head.<ref name="Bruton"/> Catfish have a variety of body shapes, though most have a cylindrical body with a flattened ] to allow for benthic feeding.<ref name="Bruton"/>

A flattened head allows for digging through the substrate as well as perhaps serving as a ]. Most have a mouth that can expand to a large size and contains no ] teeth; catfish generally feed through ] or gulping rather than biting and cutting prey.<ref name="Bruton"/> However, some families, notably ] and ], have a ] that allows them to fasten themselves to objects in fast-moving water. Catfish also have a ] reduced to a support for ]; this means that they are unable to protrude their mouths as other fish such as ].<ref name="Bruton"/>

Catfish may have up to four pairs of barbels: nasal, maxillary (on each side of mouth), and two pairs of chin barbels, even though pairs of barbels may be absent depending on the species. Catfish also have ]s across their entire bodies, which means they "taste" anything they touch and "smell" any chemicals in the water. "In catfish, ] plays a primary role in the orientation and location of food".<ref>Atema, Jelle (1980) pp. 57–101. In: Bardach, JE ''Fish behavior and its use in the capture and culture of fishes', The WorldFish Center, ISBN 978-971-02-0003-0.</ref> Because their barbels and chemoreception are more important in detecting food, the eyes on catfish are generally small. Like other ]s, they are characterized by the presence of a ].<ref name="Nelson"/> Their well-developed Weberian apparatus and reduced ] allow for improved ] as well as sound production.<ref name="Bruton"/>

Catfish have no ]s; their bodies are often naked. In some species, the ]-covered ] is used in cutaneous ], where the fish breathes through its skin.<ref name="Bruton"/> In some catfish, the skin is covered in bony plates called ]; some form of body armor appears in various ways within the order. In ] and in the Asian genus '']'', the armor is primarily made up of one or more rows of free ] plates. Similar plates are found in large specimens of '']''. These plates may be supported by ]l ]es, as in ] and in ''Sisor'', but the processes never fuse to the plates or form any external armor. By contrast, in the subfamily Doumeinae (family ]) and in hoplomyzontines (]), the armor is formed solely by expanded vertebral processes that form plates. Finally, the lateral armor of ], ''Sisor'', and hoplomyzontines consists of hypertrophied ] ]s with dorsal and ventral ].<ref>{{cite journal|author=J P Friel, J G Lundberg|year=1996|title=''Micromyzon akamai'', gen. et sp. nov., a small and eyeless banjo catfish (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) from the river channels of the lower Amazon basin|journal=]|issue=3|pages=641–648|jstor=1447528|volume=1996}}</ref>

] has four pairs of ].]]
All catfish, except members of ] (electric catfish), possess a strong, hollow, bonified leading spine-like ray on their ] and ]s. As a defense, these spines may be locked into place so that they stick outwards, which can inflict severe wounds.<ref name=tol/> In several species catfish can use these fin rays to deliver a stinging ] if the fish is irritated.<ref name=fin>{{cite web| url = http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/channel_catfish.htm|title=Channel Catfish |accessdate=2006-12-02|publisher=Fairfax County Public Schools}}</ref> This ] is produced by ]ular cells in the ] tissue covering the spines.<ref name="Nelson"/> In members of the family ], and of the genus '']'', this protein is so strong it may hospitalize humans, those unfortunate enough to receive a sting; in '']'', the stings may result in death.<ref name="Nelson"/>

Juvenile catfish, like most fish, have relatively large heads, eyes and posterior median fins in comparison to larger, more mature individuals. These juveniles can be readily placed in their families, particularly those with highly derived fin or body shapes; in some cases identification of the genus is possible. As far as known for most catfish, features that are often characteristic of species such as mouth and fin positions, fin shapes, and barbel lengths show little difference between juveniles and adults. For many species, pigmentation pattern is also similar in juveniles and adults. Thus, juvenile catfishes generally resemble and develop smoothly into their adult form without distinct juvenile specializations. Exceptions to this are the ariid catfishes, where the young retain yolk sacs late into juvenile stages, and many pimelodids, which may have elongated barbels and fin filaments or coloration patterns.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/~tberra/pdf-files/Diplomystes.pdf|title=First description of small juveniles of the primitive catfish ''Diplomystes'' (Siluriformes: Diplomystidae)|first=John G.|last=Lundberg|coauthors=Berra, Tim M.; Friel, John P.|journal=Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters|volume=15|issue=1|pages=71–82|month=March | year=2004|format=PDF|accessdate=2009-06-22}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

] is reported in about half of all families of catfish.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2006f/zt01125p056.pdf|title=''Synodontis acanthoperca'', a new species from the Ogôoué River system, Gabon with comments on spiny ornamentation and sexual dimorphism in mochokid catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae)|first=John P.|last=Friel|coauthors=Vigliotta, Thomas R.|journal=]|volume=1125|pages=45–56|year=2006|format=PDF|accessdate=2009-06-22}}</ref> The modification of the ] into an ] (in internal fertilizers) as well as accessory structures of the reproductive apparatus (in both internal and external fertilizers) have been described in species belonging to 11 different families.<ref name="Mazzoldi">{{cite journal|title=Variation of male reproductive apparatus in relation to fertilization modalities in the catfish families Auchenipteridae and Callichthyidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes)|first=C.|last=Mazzoldi|coauthors=Lorenzi, V.; Rasotto, M. B.|journal=Journal of Fish Biology|year=2007|volume=70|pages=243–256|doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.2006.01300.x}}</ref>

===Size===
]'', may be fatal.]]

Catfish have one of the greatest ranges in size within a single order of ].<ref name="Bruton"/> Many catfish have a maximum length of under 12&nbsp;cm.<ref name="Nelson"/> Some of the smallest species of ] and ] reach sexual maturity at only {{convert|1|cm|in}}.<ref name=tol/>

The ], ''Silurus glanis'', is the only native catfish species of Europe, besides the much smaller related ] found in Greece. ] and literature record wels catfish of astounding proportions, yet to be proven scientifically. The average size of the species is about 1.2–1.6&nbsp;m (3.9–5.2&nbsp;ft), and fish more than {{convert|2|m|ft}} are very rare. The largest specimens on record measure more than {{convert|2.5|m|ft}} in length and sometimes exceeded {{convert|100|kg|lb}}.

The largest '']'', caught in the ] on July 20, 2010, weighed {{convert|130|lb|kg}}. The largest ], ''Pylodictis olivaris'', ever caught was in ], weighing 123&nbsp;lb 9&nbsp;oz (56.0&nbsp;kg). In July 2009, a catfish weighing 193 pounds was caught in the ], Spain, by an 11-year old British schoolgirl.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5834754/Schoolgirl-nets-9ft-monster-fish.html | work=] | location=London | title=Schoolgirl nets 9ft monster fish Schoolgirl angler Jessica Wanstall netted a record when she hooked this monster fish that was more than twice the size of her. | date=2009-07-15 | accessdate=2010-04-28}}</ref> However, these records pale in comparison to a ] caught in northern ] on May 1, 2005 and reported to the press almost 2 months later that weighed {{convert|293|kg|lb}}. This is the largest giant Mekong catfish caught since Thai officials started keeping records in 1981.<ref name=Mekong>{{cite web|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0629_050629_giantcatfish.html|title=Grizzly Bear-Size Catfish Caught in Thailand |accessdate=2006-07-14|publisher=National Geographic News}}</ref> The giant Mekong catfish are not well studied since they live in developing countries and it is quite possible that they can grow even larger.

===Internal anatomy===
In many catfish, the ''humeral process'' is a bony process extending backward from the ] immediately above the base of the pectoral fin. It lies beneath the skin where its outline may be determined by dissecting the skin or probing with a needle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Glossary/Glossary.cfm?TermEnglish=humeral%20process|title=Term : humeral process|publisher=]|year=2007}}</ref>

The ] of catfish are composed of single ]s and large ]s. Many catfish have a ] which may help enhance ] capture and increase low-light sensitivity. ]s, though present in most ]s, are absent from catfish.<ref name="Douglas">{{cite journal|last=Douglas|first=Ron H.|coauthors=Collin, Shaun P.; Corrigan, Julie|date=15 November 2002|url=http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/205/22/3425|title=The eyes of suckermouth armoured catfish (Loricariidae, subfamily Hypostomus): pupil response, lenticular longitudinal spherical aberration and retinal topography|publisher=The Journal of Experimental Biology|volume=205|issue=22|pages=3425–3433|format=PDF|journal=Journal of Experimental Biology|pmid=12364396}}</ref>

The anatomical organization of the ] in catfish is variable among the families of catfish, but the majority of them present fringed testis: Ictaluridae, Claridae, Auchenipteridae, Doradidae, Pimelodidae, and Pseudopimelodidae.<ref name="Barros"/> In the testes of some species of Siluriformes, organs and structures such as a spermatogenic cranial region and a secretory caudal region are observed, in addition to the presence of seminal vesicles in the caudal region.<ref name="Brito"/> The total number of fringes and their length are different in the ] and ] portions between species.<ref name="Barros">{{cite journal|title=Reproductive apparatus and gametogenesis of ''Lophiosilurus alexandri'' Steindachner (Pisces, Teleostei, Siluriformes)|first=Marcelo D. M.|last=Barros|coauthors=Guimarães-Cruz, Rodrigo J.; Veloso-Júnior, Vanderlei C.; Santos, José E. dos|journal=Revista Brasileira de Zoologia|volume=24|issue=1|pages=213–221|year=2007|doi=10.1590/S0101-81752007000100028}}</ref> Fringes of the caudal region may present tubules, in which the lumen is filled by secretion and ].<ref name="Barros"/> Spermatocysts are formed from cytoplasmic extensions of ]s; the release of spermatozoa is allowed by breaking of the cyst walls.<ref name="Barros"/>

The occurrence of ]s, in spite of their interspecific variability in size, gross morphology and function, has not been related to the mode of fertilization. They are typically paired, multi-chambered, and connected with the ], and have been reported to play a glandular and a storage function. Seminal vesicle secretion may include ]s and steroid glucuronides, with hormonal and pheromonal functions, but it appears to be primarily constituted of mucoproteins, acid mucopolysaccharides, and phospholipids.<ref name="Mazzoldi"/>

Fish ovaries may be of two types: gymnovarian or cystovarian. In the first type, the oocytes are released directly into the ]ic cavity and then eliminated. In the second type, the oocytes are conveyed to the exterior through the ].<ref name="Brito"/> Many catfish are cystovarian in type, including '']'', '']'', '']'', and '']''.<ref name="Barros"/><ref name="Brito">{{cite journal|title=Reproduction of the surubim catfish (Pisces, Pimelodidae) in the São Francisco River, Pirapora Region, Minas Gerais, Brazil|last=Brito|first=M.F.G.|coauthors=Bazzoli, N.|journal=Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia|volume=55|issue=5|year=2003|doi=10.1590/S0102-09352003000500018|pages=624}}</ref>

==Catfish as food==
]
]
Catfish have widely been caught and farmed for food for hundreds of years in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Judgments as to the quality and flavor vary, with some food critics considering catfish as being excellent food, while others dismiss them as watery and lacking in flavor.<ref name=Baker>Jenny Baker (1988), ''Simply Fish'' p 36-37. Faver & Faber, London.</ref> In ], catfish were often viewed as a delicacy to be enjoyed on feast days and holidays. Migrants from Europe and Africa to the United States brought along this tradition, and in the ], catfish is an extremely popular food. The most commonly eaten species in the United States are the ] and the ], both of which are common in the wild and increasingly widely farmed. Farm-raised catfish became such a staple of the diet of the United States that on June 25, 1987, President ] established ] to recognize "the value of farm-raised catfish."

Catfish is eaten in a variety of ways. In Europe it is often cooked in similar ways to ], but in the United States it is popularly crumbed with ] and fried.<ref name=Baker/>

In ], catfish is usually served grilled in street stalls called '']'' and eaten with vegetables and ]; the dish is called ''pecel lele''. Catfish can also be eaten with ] as ''lele penyet'' (minced catfish). (''Lele'' is the ]n word for catfish.)

In ] catfish, called "ikan keli", is fried with spices or grilled and eaten with tamarind and Thai chillies gravy and also is often eaten with steamed rice.

In the Indian states of ],], ] and ] catfish (locally known as Magur) is eaten as a favored delicacy during the monsoons. Catfish, locally known as ''thedu''' or ''etta''' in Malayalam, is very famous in the Indian state ]. In the inland ponds in Kerala, 2 varieties of catfish is abundant- Muzhi and Kari while "Etta" is a basically a salt water fish. The smaller, slender Kari is notorious for its ability to sting, and Muzhi is much bigger and easy to catch, especially during Monsoon when this seems to literally walk where very little water is present from the rain water. All the catfish are eaten as curry and their extra-large eggs, especially that of Etta, is fried and is a delicacy. It is also believed that catfish meat helps in blood purification. Catfish curry is consumed in these parts to promote faster recovery to patients suffering from fever or other ailments.

In Hungary catfish is often cooked in paprika sauce (Harcsapaprikás) typical of Hungarian cuisine. It is traditionally served with pasta smothered with curd cheese (]).

Catfish is high in ].<ref name = FactD>{{cite web|url=http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/conditions/osteoporosis/vitd.htm|title=Vitamin D and Healthy Bones|publisher=New York State Department of Health|accessdate=2007-07-13 }}</ref> Farm-raised catfish contains low levels of ]s and a much higher proportion of ]s.<ref>Reuters, . Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2008</ref>

Vietnamese catfish cannot be legally marketed as catfish in the United States, and is subsequently referred to as ] or ] <ref name = FactSwai>{{cite web|url=http://www.unionfishco.com/swai/details.htm|title=Union Fish Company – Basa/Swai Details|accessdate=2007-11-11 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071109150512/http://www.unionfishco.com/swai/details.htm |archivedate = 2007-11-09}}</ref> Only fish of the family Ictaluridae may be marketed as catfish in the United States.<ref name = 21USC343>{{cite web|url=http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/21/usc_sec_21_00000343----000-.html|title=United States Code, Title 21,343. Misbranded food}}</ref>

As catfish lack scales, they are judged not to be ] and may not be eaten by observant ], some ] who follow the ]'s ], and observant ] of various schools.

==Aquaculture==
{{Main|Aquaculture of catfish}}
Catfish are easy to farm in warm climates, leading to inexpensive and safe food at local grocers. About 60% of U.S. farm-raised catfish are grown within a 65-mile (100-km) radius of ]. ] are cultivated in North America (especially in the ], with ] being the largest domestic catfish producer).<ref>{{Cite journal | author= J.E. Morris|title= Pond Culture of Channel Catfish in the North Central Region | publisher= North Central Regional Aquaculture Center| date= October 1993| format= PDF| url= http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/NCR444.pdf| accessdate= 2006-06-28}}</ref> ] (''Ictalurus punctatus'') supports a $450 million/yr aquaculture industry.<ref name=tol/>

Catfish raised in inland tanks or channels are considered safe for the environment, since their waste and disease should be contained and not spread to the wild.<ref>{{cite journal | first = Paul | last = Rogers | title = Economy of Scales | work = Stanford Magazine | publisher = ] | issue = March / April 2006 | url = http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2006/marapr/features/fishfarming.html | accessdate = 2008-02-14}}</ref>

In Asia, many catfish species are important as food. Several ] (Clariidae) and ] (Pangasiidae) species are heavily cultured in Africa and Asia. Exports of one particular shark catfish species from ], '']'', has met with pressures from the U.S. catfish industry. In 2003, The ] passed a law preventing the imported fish from being labeled as catfish.<ref></ref> As a result, the Vietnamese exporters of this fish now label their products sold in the U.S. as "basa fish." Trader Joe's has labeled frozen fillets of Vietnamese '']'' as "striper."<ref></ref>

There is a large and growing ornamental fish trade, with hundreds of species of catfish, such as '']'' and ] (often called ]s), being a popular component of many ]. Other catfish commonly found in the aquarium trade are ], ], and ].

==Catfish as invasive species==
] is an ] in Florida.]]
Representatives of the ] '']'' have been introduced into European waters in the hope of obtaining a sporting and food resource. However, the European stock of American catfishes has not achieved the dimensions of these fish in their native waters, and have only increased the ecological pressure on native European ]. ] have also been introduced in the freshwaters of Florida, with the voracious catfish becoming a major alien pest there. ], ''Pylodictis olivaris'', is also a North American pest on Atlantic slope drainages.<ref name=tol/> '']'' species, released by aquarium fishkeepers, have also established ] populations in many warm waters around the world.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The South American Suckermouth Armored Catfish, ''Pterygoplichthys anisitsi'' (Pisces: Loricaridae), in Texas, with Comments on Foreign Fish Introductions in the American Southwest|first=Leo G.|last=Nico|coauthors=Martin, R. Trent|journal=The Southwestern Naturalist|volume=46|issue=1|month=March | year=2001|pages=98–104|doi=10.2307/3672381|jstor=3672381}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Amazon Sailfin Catfish, ''Pterygoplichthys pardalis'' (Castelnau, 1855) (Loricariidae), Another Exotic Species Established in Southeastern Mexico|first=Armando T.|last=Wakida-Kusunokia|coauthors=Ruiz-Carusb, Ramon; Amador-del-Angelc, Enrique|journal=The Southwestern Naturalist|pages=141–144|volume=52|issue=1|month=March | doi=10.1894/0038-4909(2007)522.0.CO;2|year=2007|issn=0038-4909}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2006f/zt01109p068.pdf|title=New Philippine record of South American sailfin catfishes (Pisces: Loricariidae)|first=Joel M.|last=Chavez|coauthors=de la Paz, Reynaldo M.; Manohar, Surya Krishna; Pagulayan, Roberto C.; Carandang Vi, Jose R.|journal=]|volume=1109|pages=57–68|year=2006|format=PDF|accessdate=2009-06-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://academic.uprm.edu/publications/cjs/VOL30/P090-094.PDF|title=The South American Sailfin Armored Catfish, ''Liposarcus multiradiatus'' (Hancock), a New Exotic Established in Puerto Rican Fresh Waters|first=Lucy|last=Bunkley-Williams|coauthors=Williams, Ernest H., Jr.; Lilystrom, Craig G.; Corujo-Flores, Iris; Zerbi, Alfonso J.; Aliaume, Catherine; Churchill, Timothy N.|journal=Caribbean Journal of Science|volume=30|issue=1–2|pages=90–94|year=1994|format=PDF|accessdate=2009-06-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/Journals/44.2/252.pdf|journal=Zoological Studies|volume=44|issue=2|pages=252–259|year=2005|title=Size Structure, Reproductive Phenology, and Sex Ratio of an Exotic Armored Catfish (''Liposarcus multiradiatus'') in the Kaoping River of Southern Taiwan|first=Shih-Hsiung|last=Liang|coauthors=Wu, Hsiao-Ping; Shieh, Bao-Sen|format=PDF|accessdate=2009-06-22}}</ref>

==Dangers to humans==
While the vast majority of catfish are harmless to humans, a few species are known to present some risk. Perhaps the most notorious of these is the ], due to the way it is reputed to parasitize the urethra, though there is only ].

Since 2007, the ] has also gained attention<ref>{{cite news|last=Cox|first=Emma|title=Humans Scoffed by Mutant Fish|url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/weird/article1784470.ece|accessdate=1 October 2010|newspaper=The Sun|date=09 October, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Corpse-Eating Mutant Fish Caught|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Flesh-Eating-Catfish-Goonch-Tracked-Down-By-Angler-Jeremy-Wade-For-Channel-Five/Article/200810215117069|work=News.sky.com|publisher=Sky.com|accessdate=1 October 2010}}</ref> following a ] which have been alleged by biologist ] to have been from unusually large goonch.

The ] has also been reputed to kill humans (especially young children), and while there are no documented cases of fatalities, larger specimens are known to cause serious injuries in rare instances.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wels Catfish|url=http://animal.discovery.com/fish/river-monsters/wels-catfish/|work=River Monsters|publisher=Animal Planet|accessdate=1 October 2010}}</ref> In addition, other species are reputed to be dangerous to humans as well, but with less definitive evidence.

Many catfish species have “stings” (actually non-venomous in most cases) embedded behind their fins; thus precautions must be taken when handling them.

==Taxonomy==
The catfishes are a ] group. This is supported by molecular evidence.<ref name="Sullivan"/>

Catfish belong to a superorder called the ], which also includes the ], ], ] and ], a superorder characterized by the ]. Some place Gymnotiformes as a sub-order of Siluriformes, however this is not as widely accepted. Currently, the Siluriformes are said to be the ] to the Gymnotiformes, though this has been debated due to more recent molecular evidence.<ref name="Nelson"/> {{As of|2007}} there are about 36 ] catfish families, and about 3,093 extant species have been described.<ref name=ferraris5>{{cite journal|url=http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01418p300.pdf|title=Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types|first=Carl J., Jr.|last=Ferraris|journal=]|volume=1418|page=5|year=2007|format=PDF|accessdate=2011-10-05|last2=Miya|first2=M|last3=Azuma|first3=Y|last4=Nishida|first4=M}}</ref> This makes the catfish order the second or third most diverse ] order; in fact, 1 out of every 20 vertebrate species is a catfish.<ref name=tol>{{cite web|url=http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Siluriformes&contgroup=Ostariophysi|title=Siluriformes|last=Lundberg|first=John G.|coauthors=Friel, John P.|publisher=]|date=2003-01-20|accessdate=2007-04-18}}</ref>

The taxonomy of catfishes is quickly changing. In a 2007 and 2008 paper, '']'', '']'', and '']'' were not classified under any current catfish families.<ref name=ferraris>{{cite journal|url=http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01418p300.pdf|title=Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types|first=Carl J., Jr.|last=Ferraris|journal=]|volume=1418|pages=1–628|year=2007|format=PDF|accessdate=2009-06-22|last2=Miya|first2=M|last3=Azuma|first3=Y|last4=Nishida|first4=M}}</ref> There is disagreement on the family status of certain groups; for example, Nelson (2006) lists Auchenoglanididae and Heteropneustidae as separate families, while the All Catfish Species Inventory (ACSI) includes them under other families. Also, ] and the ] lists Parakysidae as a separate family, while this group is included under ] by both Nelson (2006) and ACSI.<ref name="Nelson"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/taxa/Families.html|title=Catfish Families|publisher=All Catfish Species Inventory|accessdate=2007-04-28}}</ref><ref>{{FishBase family|family=Parakysidae|year=2007|month=Apr}}</ref><ref>{{ITIS |id=553185 |taxon=Parakysidae |accessdate=April 2007}}</ref> Many sources do not list the recently revised family ].<ref name=Anchariidae>{{cite journal|url=http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/ief16_4_02.pdf|title=Revision of the endemic Malagasy catfish family Anchariidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes), with descriptions of a new genus and three new species|first=Heok Hee|last=Ng|coauthors=Sparks, John S.|year=2005|journal=Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters|volume=16|issue=4|pages=303–323}}</ref> The family ], including ''Horabagrus'', '']'', and '']'', is also not shown by some authors but presented by others as a true group.<ref name="Sullivan"/> Thus, the actual number of families differs between authors. The species count is in constant flux due to ] work as well as description of new species. On the other hand, our understanding of catfishes should increase in the next few years due to work by the ACSI.<ref name="Nelson">{{cite book|title=]|last=Nelson|first=Joseph S.|publisher=], Inc|year=2006|isbn=0-471-25031-7}}</ref>

The rate of description of new catfishes is at an all-time high. Between 2003 and 2005, over 100 species have been named, a rate three times faster than that of the past century.<ref name=neotropdiversity>{{cite journal|url=http://www.ufrgs.br/ni/vol3num4%5Cpreface.pdf|title=Neotropical catfish diversity: an historical perspective|first=Carl J., Jr.|last=Ferraris|coauthors=]|journal=Neotropical Ichthyology|volume=3|issue=4|pages=453–454|year=2005|doi=10.1590/S1679-62252005000400001|format=PDF}}</ref> In June, 2005, researchers named the newest family of catfish, ], only the third new family of fish distinguished in the last 70 years (others being the ] in 1938 and the ] in 1983). The new species in ], '']'', was found in the ] in the Mexican state of ].<ref name=rodiles>{{cite journal|title=''Lacantunia enigmatica'' (Teleostei: Siluriformes) a new and phylogenetically puzzling freshwater fish from Mesoamerica|last=Rodiles-Hernández|first=Rocío|coauthors=Hendrickson, Dean A.; Lundberg, John G.; Humphries, Julian M.|journal=]|pages=1–24|year=2005|volume=1000|format=PDF|url=http://biostor.org/reference/15994|accessdate=2009-06-22}}</ref>

According to ] data, ] is usually considered to be the most primitive of catfishes and the ] to the remaining catfishes, grouped in a ] called '''Siluroidei'''. Recent molecular evidence contrasts the prevailing hypothesis, where the suborder Loricarioidei are the sister group to all catfishes, including Diplomystidae (Diplomystoidei) and Siluroidei; though they were not able to reject the past hypothesis, the new hypothesis is not unsupported. Siluroidei was found to be monophyletic without Loricarioid families or Diplomystidae with molecular evidence; morphological evidence is unknown that supports Siluroidei without Loricarioidea.<ref name="Sullivan"/>

Below is a list of family relationships by different authors. Lacantuniidae is included in the Sullivan scheme based on recent evidence that places it sister to ].<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://webspace.utexas.edu/deanhend/www/pdfs/Lundberg_2007_African_roots_Lacantunia.pdf|journal=Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia|volume=156|pages=39–53|month=June | title=Discovery of African roots for the Mesoamerican Chiapas catfish, ''Lacantunia enigmatica'', requires an ancient intercontinental passage|first=John G.|last=Lundberg|coauthors=Sullivan, John P.; Rodiles-Hernández, Rocío; Hendrickson, Dean A.|format=PDF|doi=10.1635/0097-3157(2007)1562.0.CO;2|year=2007|accessdate=2009-06-22|issn=0097-3157}}</ref>

{|
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{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! colspan=2 | Nelson, 2006<ref name="Nelson"/>
! colspan=2 | Sullivan et al., 2006<ref name="Sullivan">{{cite journal|journal=Mol Phylogenet Evol.|year=2006|volume=41|issue=3|pages=636–62|title=A phylogenetic analysis of the major groups of catfishes (Teleostei: Siluriformes) using rag1 and rag2 nuclear gene sequences|last=Sullivan|first=JP|coauthors=Lundberg JG; Hardman M|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.044|pmid=16876440}}</ref>
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| width=25% |
*Unresolved families
**Cetopsidae
**Pseudopimelodidae
**Heptapteridae
**Cranoglanididae
**Ictaluridae
*]
**Amphiliidae
**Trichomycteridae
**Nematogenyiidae
**Callichthyidae
**Scoloplacidae
**Astroblepidae
**Loricariidae
*]
**Amblycipitidae
**Akysidae
**Sisoridae
**Erethistidae
**Aspredinidae
*Doradoidea
**Mochokidae
**Doradidae
**Auchenipteridae
| width=25% |
*Siluroidea
**Siluridae
**Malapteruridae
**Auchenoglanididae
**Chacidae
**Plotosidae
**Clariidae
**Heteropneustidae
*Bagroidea
**Austroglanididae
**Claroteidae
**Ariidae
**Schilbeidae
**Pangasiidae
**Bagridae
**Pimelodidae
| width=25% |
*Unresolved families
**Cetopsidae
**Plotosidae
**Chacidae
**Siluridae
**Pangasiidae
*Suborder Loricarioidei
**Trichomycteridae
**Nematogenyiidae
**Callichthyidae
**Scoloplacidae
**Astroblepidae
**Loricariidae
*Clarioidea
**Clariidae
**Heteropneustidae
*Arioidea
**Ariidae
**Anchariidae
*Pimelodoidea
**Pimelodidae
**Pseudopimelodidae
**Heptapteridae
**''Conorhynchos''
*Ictaluroidea
**Ictaluridae
**Cranoglanididae
| width=25% |
*Doradoidea (sister to Aspredinidae)
**Doradidae
**Auchenipteridae
*"Big Asia"
**Sisoroidea
***Amblycipitidae
***Akysidae
***Sisoridae
***Erethistidae
**'']'' + '']'' (Asian schilbeids)
**Horabagridae ('']'' + '']'' + '']'')
**Bagridae (without '']'')
*"Big Africa"
**Mochokidae
**Malapteruridae
**Amphiliidae
**Claroteidae
**Lacantuniidae
**Schilbeidae
|}
|}

==References==
{{clear}}
{{Reflist|colwidth=35em}}

==See also==
<!--Please keep this uncluttered. If you wish to add a link, discuss it on the talk page first.-->
{{Commons category|Siluriformes}}
{{Wikispecies|Siluriformes}}
* Catfish clonk fishing method ]
*

{{Actinopterygii}}
{{commercial fish topics}}

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Revision as of 19:06, 5 October 2012

For other uses, see Catfish (disambiguation).

{{Taxobox | name = kick your ass | fossil_range = your mum | image = hi jia