| Bagridae Temporal range: Eocene - Recent[1] |
|
|---|---|
| Rita rita | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Superfamily: | Bagroidea |
| Family: | Bagridae Bleeker, 1858 |
| Genera | |
|
Bagrichthys |
|
Bagridae are a family of catfish that originate from Africa and Asia from Japan to Borneo.[2] These fish are commonly known as naked catfishes or bagrid catfishes.
Large Bagrids are important as food fish. Some species are kept as aquarium fishes.[2]
The dorsal fin is preceded by a spine (except in Olyra). The adipose fin is present and can have a relatively long base in some species. The pectoral fin spine can be serrated. The body is completely naked (they have no scales). The maximum length is about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft).[2] Fishes of the Bagridae family have four pairs of well-developed barbels covered by a layer of taste bud-enriched epithelium.[3]
The taxonomy of this family has changed rapidly. Nelson (2006) comments how "the family is very different from that recognized in Nelson (1994)". Claroteidae and Austroglanididae contain species that were previously Bagrids. Auchenoglanididae is considered by some sources to be a subfamily of Claroteidae and by others to be its own family, sister to Heptapteridae. The taxonomy of the genus Olyra has been debated.[2]
It is unclear whether or not the family is monophyletic, and what its relationship to other catfishes might be.[2]