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Siluriformes (Catfishes) >
Pangasiidae (Shark catfishes)
Etymology: Pangasianodon: The Vietnamese name of a fish + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Gigas was a giant in Greek mythology, the child of Uranus and Gaea. The name is applied to taxa that are giants of their kind. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / profondeur / distribution range
Écologie
; eau douce benthopélagique; potamodrome (Ref. 51243). Tropical
Asia: endemic to the Mekong basin where it has become rare due to overexploitation.
Taille / Poids / Âge
Maturité: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 300 cm TL mâle / non sexé; (Ref. 30857); 235.0 cm SL (female); poids max. publié: 350.0 kg (Ref. 43281); âge max. reporté: 10 années (Ref. 116372)
Description synthétique
Clés d'identification | Morphologie | Morphométrie
Épines dorsales (Total) : 2; Rayons mous dorsaux (Total) : 7 - 8; Rayons mous anaux: 35; Vertèbres: 48. Body without stripes; posterior nostril located near anterior nostril; 7 branched dorsal-fin rays; gill rakers rudimentary or absent; fins grey, never black (Ref. 12693). The center of the eye above the horizontal line through the mouth angle in juveniles; eye totally below the level of mouth angle in subadults and adults. The maxillary and mandibulary pairs of barbels well developed in juveniles; mandibulary barbels become rudimentary in subadults and adults (Ref. 9448). Gigantic size; oral teeth and gill rakers present in small juveniles, absent at about 30-50 cm SL; dorsal, pelvic and pectoral fins without filamentous extensions (Ref. 43281). Distinguished from other large catfish in the Mekong by its lack of teeth and the almost complete absence of barbels (Ref. 2686)
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: circular.
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); A migratory species (Ref. 37772) which occurs in medium to large-sized rivers (Ref. 12975). Feeds on detritus and algae on the bottom (Ref. 58784); feeds only on vegetation in the river but takes other food in captivity; little is known on its general pattern of life and migratory journeys for spawning (Ref. 2686). Shows one of the fastest growth rates of any fish in the world, reaching 150 to 200 kg in 6 years (Ref. 12693). Cited in the Guinness Book of Records as largest freshwater fish (Ref. 6472). Marketed fresh (Ref. 12693). Maximum length of 300 cm needs confirmation. Threatened due to over harvesting and habitat loss (Ref. 58490).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturité | Reproduction | Frai | Œufs | Fécondité | Larves
Roberts, T.R. and C. Vidthayanon, 1991. Systematic revision of the Asian catfish family Pangasiidae, with biological observations and descriptions of three new species. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 143:97-144. (Ref. 7432)
Statut dans la liste rouge de l'IUCN (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Menace pour l'homme
Harmless
Utilisations par l'homme
Pêcheries: commercial; Aquaculture: expérimental
Outils
Articles particuliers
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Sources Internet
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Réf.
82804): PD
50 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00776 (0.00387 - 0.01555), b=3.14 (2.96 - 3.32), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Niveau trophique (Réf.
69278): 2.3 ±0.17 se; based on food items.
Generation time: 12.9 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1
growth studies.
Résilience (Réf.
120179): Faible, temps minimum de doublement de population : 4,5 à 14 années (Assuming tm=5-10).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (79 of 100).
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