Heterobranchus

Taxobox
name = "Heterobranchus"
fossil_range = Lower Pliocene - Recent
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Clariidae
genus = "Heterobranchus"
genus_authority = Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809
type_species = "Heterobranchus bidorsalis"
type_species_authority = Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

"Heterobranchus" is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Clariidae.

"H. longifilis" may also be known as vundu.

"H. bidorsalis" originates from the Nile, Niger, Upper Volta, Guinea and Senegal Rivers, and the Chad basin. "H. boulengeri" is distributed in Lake Moero, Lukonzolwa River, and upper Congo River in Zimbabwe. "H. isopterus" is known from West Africa, from Senegal to Ghana. "H. longifilis" is known from the Nile, Niger, Senegal, Congo and upper and middle Zambezi Rivers. "H. palaeindicus", the only known extinct species of the genus, was discovered in the Siwalik Hills, India, dating to the Lower Pliocene.

"H. longifilis" is the largest freshwater species in southern Africa, reaching 150 centimetres (59 in) SL and weighing up to 55.0 kilograms (121 lb).FishBase species|genus=Heterobranchus|species=longifilis|year=2008|month=Oct] "H. bidorsalis" may reach a similar length but only weighs up to 50.0 kg (110 lb).FishBase species|genus=Heterobranchus|species=bidorsalis|year=2008|month=Oct] "H. boulengeri" is known to reach 64.0 cm (25.2 in) TL.FishBase species|genus=Heterobranchus|species=boulengeri|year=2008|month=Oct] "H. isopterus" reaches 90.0 cm (35.4 in) TL.FishBase species|genus=Heterobranchus|species=isopterus|year=2008|month=Oct]

"H. longifilis" is an uncommon species which inhabits large rivers. It occurs in large deep rivers within the mainstream or in deep pools and lakes. Most active at night, it feeds on any available food, including invertebrates and insects when small, then fish and other small vertebrates when large. It scavenges off large carcasses and offal from riverside villages. It can live for 12 or more years.FishBase species|genus=Heterobranchus|species=|year=2008|month=Oct]

pecies

"Heterobranchus" includes the following species: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]
*"Heterobranchus bidorsalis" Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809
*"Heterobranchus boulengeri" Pellegrin, 1922
*"Heterobranchus isopterus" Bleeker, 1863
*"Heterobranchus longifilis" Valenciennes, 1840
*"Heterobranchus palaeindicus" Lydekker, 1886 †

References