Smallmouth Catfish, Cinetodus froggatti (Ramsay & Ogilby 1886)

Roper River, NT; tropical; inhabiting slow-flowing, often turbid rivers.

Dorsal fin I, 7; Anal fin 17-19; Pectoral fin I, 10-11.

Body elongate, robust, elevated at level of dorsal fin; pre-dorsal profile steep head conical to rounded, depressed with a strong dorsal bony plate (head shield); head shield finely striated; supraoccipital process very broad; snout blunt; mouth small, 27-31% HL; gill rakers on first arch 12-17; premaxillary teeth in oblong patches; inner (vomerine) tooth patches absent; outer (palatine) tooth patches oblong and well separated; chin barbel base close together; barbels moderately long, reaching posteriorly to level of base of dorsal-fin spine (about 1/3 SL); gill opening restricted, closing just below level of pectoral fin base; humeral processes well developed, oblong and horizontal; lateral line well developed; front and rear nostrils close together on each side of snout . Scales absent. Adipose fin large (its base equal or more than anal fin base), oblong present above anal fin; fin spines robust; caudal fin strongly forked

Dark blue-grey to blackish overall and creamy below.

Feeds on molluscs (gastropods and bivalves).

Spawn from October to February in the lower reaches of rivers; males incubate eggs in their mouth.

Arius froggatti Ramsay E.P. & Ogilby J.D. (1886) A contribution to the knowledge of the fish fauna of New Guinea. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W.(2)1(1): 8-20, Strickland River, New Guinea.

Martin F. Gomon