Auchenoglanis

Taxobox
name = "Auchenoglanis"
fossil_range = Upper Miocene - Recent
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Claroteidae
subfamilia = Auchenoglanidinae
genus = "Auchenoglanis"
genus_authority = Günther, 1865
type_species = "Pimelodus biscutatus"
type_species_authority = Geoffroy St. Hilaire, 1809
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
*"A. biscutatus"
*"A. occidentalis"
*"A. soye" †

"Auchenoglanis" is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Claroteidae. It is represented by two living species, "A. biscutatus" and "A. occidentalis" (giraffe catfish).cite journal|url=http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/library/biblios/2007_Ferraris_Catfish_Checklist.pdf|title=Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types|first=Carl J., Jr.|last=Ferraris|journal=Zootaxa|volume=1418|pages=1–628|year=2007|format=PDF] Although no apomorphy defines the genus and its monophyly is neither confirmed nor contradicted, it is still considered a valid genus.

"Auchenoglanis" is a primitive member of the subfamily Auchenoglanidinae and represents a stem group.

Species of this genus occur predominantly in the Nilo-Sudan region, but also in the Congo River, Lakes Mobutu and Tanganyika.cite journal|last=Teugels|first=G. G.|coauthors=Risch, L.; De Vos, L.; Audenaerde, D.F.E. Thys van den|title=Generic review of the African bagrid catfish genera "Auchenoglanis" and "Parauchenoglanis" with description of a new genus|journal=Journal of Natural History|volume=25|issue=2|pages=499-517]

"Auchenoglanis" species mainly feed on insect aquatic larvae and eventually on small mollusks, alevin, and swimming insects. These feeding habits should also enable them to stand a relatively wide range of ecological conditions.

Fossil record

"Auchenoglanis" is rare in the fossil record compared to other African catfishes. "Auchenoglanis" includes an extinct species, "Auchenoglanis soye" from Western Chad.cite journal|title=A New Claroteid Catfish (Siluriformes) From the Upper Miocene of Toros-Menalla, Chad: "Auchenoglanis soye", sp. nov.|first=Olga|last=Otero|coauthors=Likius, Andossa; Vignaud, Patrick; Brunet, Michel|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|volume=27|issue=2|pages=285-294|year=2007] A few other fossils are also attributed to "Auchenoglanis" with no specific species described.

References