Actinopteri (ray-finned fishes) > Siluriformes
(Catfishes) > Siluridae
Etymology: Kryptopterus: Greek, kryptos = hidden + Greek, pteron = wing. Fin (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range - m (Ref. ), usually - m (Ref. ). Tropical; 0°C -
Asia: Mekong and Chao Phraya basins (Ref. 27732). Reported from the river systems of Southeast Thailand (Ref. 26336).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 35.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12693)
soft rays: 66 - 71. No dorsal fin; short maxillary and mandibular barbels reaching about the base of the pectoral fin; 66-71 anal rays (Ref. 27732). Projecting lower jaw and shallow body (depth 4.0-4.9 in SL); head length 5.6-5.8 times in SL; a single patch of vomerine teeth; gill rakers 6-8 + 21-23 (Ref. 12693).
Inhabits rivers and canals (Ref. 12693). Enters flooded fields (Ref. 12975). Feeds on larvae of chironomids and ephemeropterans as well as zooplankton and fishes. Sold fresh or smoked and large individuals may be put on ice and shipped to Thailand (Ref. 12693).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Rainboth, W.J., 1996. Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. FAO, Rome, 265 p. (Ref. 12693)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 124695)
Threat to humans
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningSpawning aggregationFecundityEggsEgg development
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingNutrientsMass conversion
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805
= 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00589 (0.00293 - 0.01185), b=3.00 (2.83 - 3.17), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245
Trophic level (Ref. 69278
): 3.5 ±0.51 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179
): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref. 59153
): Moderate vulnerability (35 of 100) .