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Taxa

Siluriformes

Fish Orders

Siluriformes is a diverse order of ray-finned fish commonly known as catfish, named for the prominent barbels many species have that resemble a cat whiskers, though not all catfish carry them prominently. All members of the order lack scales, instead having smooth skin or armor-plated bodies, and the order is defined by shared features of the skull and swim bladder, ranging in size from giants such as the Mekong giant catfish and the wels catfish down to the tiny ectoparasitic candiru.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Order 1
Scientific Name
Siluriformes 1
Member Species/Taxa Count
3093 1
Geographic Distribution
Inland or coastal waters of every continent except Antarctica 1
Defining Characteristics
Scaleless, with smooth skin or armour-plated bodies 1
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Most have a cylindrical body with a flattened underside 1
Classification
Living or Extinct
Yes 2
Connections

Parent Taxon Of

African butter catfish, Species
Source African butter catfish (Wikidata)
Ancistrus cirrhosus, Species
Source Wikidata: Ancistrus cirrhosus
Bagarius bagarius, Species
Source Bagarius bagarius (Wikidata)
Channel Catfish, Species
Source Channel Catfish (Wikidata)
Firewood catfish, Species
Source Wikidata: Firewood catfish
Pimelodus pohli, Species
Source Pimelodus pohli (Wikidata)
Synodontis petricola, Species
Source Synodontis petricola (Wikidata)
Wels Catfish, Species
Source Wikidata: Wels Catfish
In the Other Atlases
  • Also in Geography Atlas: Antarctica, found in there.
Sources
1. Catfish, Wikipedia
  • Lead paragraph
    Catfish are a diverse group of ray-finned fish of the order Siluriformes
  • Classification
    about 3,093 extant species have been described
  • Distribution and habitat
    Catfish live inland or in coastal waters of every continent except Antarctica.
  • Description, scales
    All Siluriformes lack scales, instead possessing either smooth skin or armour-plated bodies.
  • Description, body shape
    Catfish have a variety of body shapes, though most have a cylindrical body with a flattened ventrum to allow for benthic feeding.
View the Source
2. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ59576, descriptionView the Source
Wikidata: Siluriformes
Wikidata Q59576, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Wikidata: Wels Catfish
Parent Taxon Of: Wels Catfish, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Channel Catfish (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Channel Catfish, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
African butter catfish (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: African butter catfish, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Bagarius bagarius (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Bagarius bagarius, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Synodontis petricola (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Synodontis petricola, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Pimelodus pohli (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Pimelodus pohli, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Ancistrus cirrhosus
Parent Taxon Of: Ancistrus cirrhosus, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Firewood catfish
Parent Taxon Of: Firewood catfish, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
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