ANIMALIA / CHORDATA / ACTINOPTERYGII / SILURIFORMES / ARIIDAE / GALEICHTHYS / ATER
Black sea catfish are dark brown and the underside of both the head and belly is covered with fine brown specks. The caudal fin lobes are rounded and the tail is less deeply forked compared to the white seacatfish (Heemstra and Heemstra 2004). They have a short head that is nearly as broad as it is long with a blunt snout. They have a short think caudal peduncle. In breeding season females have a fatty growth along their pectoral fin spines. Dimorphism present with the posterior process of cleithrum which is visible externally and is fan-shaped in females and triangular in males. It was previously confused with Galeichthys trowi, a newly described species occurring off KZN and Trasnkei (Kulongowski 2010).
Endemic to the entire south coast of South Africa between Margate in KwaZulu Natal and Swakopmund in Namibia (Tilney 1990, Smith and Heemstra 1991).
Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Exclusively marine, primarily in the region between East London and Table Bay (Kulongowski 2010)
Juveniles migrate from the intertidal to shallow subtidal reef but there is no evidence of a breeding migration evident (Tilney 1990).
Adults black seactafihs prey on benthic invertebrates, mainly annelid worms (Tilney 1990, van der Elst and Adkin 1991) and juveniles prefer benthic crustaceans, particularly amphipods and isopods (Prochazska 1998).
Black seacatfish are gonochorists. The male mouthbroods the young. They spawn on shallow reefs in the Eastern Cape from August to October (Tilney 1990).
Inshore
This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations
Occurrence in African countries and South African provinces. Residence status indicates if a taxon is indigenous, endemic, or alien in a specific region. This data is based on specimen records and literature.
FSA
SA
BOT
NAM
ESW
LES
WC
EC
NC
FS
GA
KZN
LP
MP
NW
Absent
Indigenous
Endemic
Naturalised
Invasive
Names and Sources
| Common Name | Language |
|---|---|
| Black Seacatfish | En |
| Swart Seebaber | Af |
| Black Seabarbel |
Classification
KINGDOM Animalia
PHYLUM Chordata
CLASS Actinopterygii
ORDER Siluriformes
FAMILY Ariidae
GENUS Galeichthys
SPECIES ater
No results found for Galeichthys ater Castelnau, 1861
Largely a bycatch in the commercial and recreational skiboat linefishery. Also occasionally taken by shore anglers and in beach seine-nets where it is generally regarded as an undesirable bycatch species (Tilney 1990).
10 results for Galeichthys ater Castelnau, 1861
This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations
2004
BOOK
Coastal fishes of Southern AfricaHeemstra, Phillip, Heemstra, Elaine. 2004. Coastal fishes of Southern Africa. NISC (PTY) LTD.
2010
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Revision of the ariid catfish genus Galeichthys Valenciennes (subfamily Galeichthyinae), with description of a new species from South Africa and designation of a neotype for G. ater CastelnauKulongowski, C. 2010. Revision of the ariid catfish genus Galeichthys Valenciennes (subfamily Galeichthyinae), with description of a new species from South Africa and designation of a neotype for G. ater Castelnau.
2013
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Southern African Marine Linefish Species ProfilesMann, B.Q. 2013. Southern African Marine Linefish Species Profiles pp.343.
1998
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Spatial and trophic partitioning in cryptic fish communities of shallow subtidal reefs in False Bay, South AfricaProchazka, Kim. 1998. Spatial and trophic partitioning in cryptic fish communities of shallow subtidal reefs in False Bay, South Africa Vol. 51 pp.201–220.
2003
BOOK
Smith's Sea FishesSmith, JLB, Heemstra, P. 2003. Smith's Sea Fishes. Cape Town. Struik Publishers pp.1047.
1990
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Aspects of the biology, ecology and population dynamics of Galeichtys feliceps (Valenciennes) and G. ater (Castelnau)(Pisces: Ariidae) off the south-east coast of South AfricaTilney, Robin. 1990. Aspects of the biology, ecology and population dynamics of Galeichtys feliceps (Valenciennes) and G. ater (Castelnau)(Pisces: Ariidae) off the south-east coast of South Africa.
1991
BOOK
Marine linefish: priority species and research objectives in southern AfricaAdkin, F, Van der Elst, RP. 1991. Marine linefish: priority species and research objectives in southern Africa. Oceanographic research institute.
Status and criteria
LC
Assessor(s)
Sean Fennessy
Reviewer(s)
Animalia Coordinator
