Wallago

Taxobox | name = Wallago


image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Wallago attu"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Siluridae
genus = "Wallago"
genus_authority = Bleeker, 1851
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
*"W. attu"
*"W. leerii"
*"W. maculatus"
*"W. micropogon"
synonyms =
*"Silurodon" Kner, 1866
*"Wallagonia" Myers, 1938

"Wallago" is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Siluridae, or "sheatfishes". They are found in rivers throughout southern Asia. Though the genus contains more than one species, name "wallago" is also used as a common name for "Wallago attu".

Taxonomy

The monophyly of this genus is ambiguous and it is not diagnosed by any synapomorphies.cite journal|title=Systematics and Geographical Distribution of the Asian Silurid Catfish Genus "Wallago", with a Key to the Species|first=Tyson R.|last=Roberts|journal=Copeia|year=1982|volume=1982|issue=4|pages=890-894]

The genus has four species: "W. attu", "W. leerii", "W. maculatus", and "W. micropogon".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] "W. hexanema" is considered a species of uncertain validity.

Description

"Wallago" species are large, predatory catfishes.cite journal|journal=Copeia|year=2004|volume=2004|issue=1|pages=92–97|title="Wallago micropogon": A New Species of Silurid Catfish (Teleostei: Siluridae) from Mainland Southeast Asia|first=Heok Hee|last=Ng] The have five rays in their dorsal fin. The caudal fin is deeply forked and has pointed lobes; it is disconnected from the anal fin, which differs from some of the other silurid genera.

References