- Classification
- ACTINOPTERYGII
- SILURIFORMES
- PLOTOSIDAE
- Neosilurus
- mollespiculum
Softspine Catfish, Neosilurus mollespiculum Allen & Feinberg 1998
A Softspine Catfish, Neosilurus mollespiculum, from the Burdekin River, Queensland. Source: MIchael Hammer / Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. License: All rights reserved
Softspine Catfish, Neosilurus mollespiculum Allen & Feinberg 1998
More Info
Distribution |
Burdekin River system, Queensland. Inhabits rocky freshwater pools in larger creeks and river channels. |
Features |
Dorsal fin I, 4; Dorsal, Caudal &Anal fin 107-124; Pectoral fin I, 13; Pelvic fin 13-14; Vertebrae 49-52
Body elongate and tapering posteriorly; head more or less conical but flattened on ventral surface; dorsal profile of head nearly straight, slightly arched; mouth subterminal; lips fleshy; anterior nostril forming a low rimmed tube on upper lip; posterior nostril a narrow slit immediately behind nasal barbel; eyes relatively small; nasal barbel does not reach to eye; maxillary and outer mental barbels approximately equal, reaching to below level of middle of eye; inner metal barbel slightly shorter; slender conical teeth in upper and lower jaws, with lunate patch of larger conical teeth on palate. Scales absent, skin smooth. Dorsal and pectoral fin spines weak and flexible; 1st dorsal fin small but tall, tip pointed, originating in front of level of ventral fins; 2nd dorsal confluent with caudal and anal fins, originating far back near end of body; pectoral fins inserted just behind opercular margin, tips pointed. |
Size |
Maximum size to about 44 cm, females to about 35 cm. |
Colour |
Dark grey to yellowish grey-brown overall; juveniles usually darker than adults. |
Feeding |
Omnivore - feeds on a range of terrestrial and aquatic insects, crustaceans, molluscs, detritus and algae. |
Biology |
Little is known of the reproductive biology of this species. Spawning is likely to occur during the wet season. |
Similar Species |
The Softspine Catfish has shorter nasal barbels than the similar Falsespine Catfish, Neosilurus pseudospinosus - the only other Australian eeltail catfish which lacks rigid dorsal and pectoral spines. |
Etymology |
The species is named mollespiculum (Latin: soft spike) in reference to the characteristic soft, flexible dorsal-fin spine. |
Species Citation |
Neosilurus mollespiculum Allen & Feinberg 1988, Aqua, J. Ichthyol. Aquat. Biol. 3(1): 9-18. Type locality: Running River, Burdekin River system, northern Queensland, about 19°07'S, 145°50'E, Australia. |
Author |
Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2019 |
Resources |
Softspine Catfish, Neosilurus mollespiculum Allen & Feinberg 1998
References
Allen, G.R. 1988. Freshwater Fishes of Australia. An annotated checklist. Ringwood, Victoria, Australia : New Guinea Fishes Association, Ringwood, Victoria : 8 pp. (as Neosilurus sp. C)
Allen, G.R. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Neptune, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 240 pp., 63 pls.
Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & Allen, M. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 394 pp.
Allen, G.R. & Feinberg, M.N. 1998. Descriptions of a new genus and four new species of freshwater catfishes (Plotosidae) from Australia. Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology 3(1): 9-18 figs 1-6
Ferraris, C.J. 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418: 1–628
Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293
Pusey, B.J., Kennard, M.J. & Arthington, A.H. 2004. Freshwater Fishes of North-eastern Australia. Collingwood, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 684 pp.
Unmack, P.J. 2001. Biogeography of Australian freshwater fishes. Journal of Biogeography 28: 1053-1089