Family Trichomycteridae
Parasitic Catfish
The order Siluriformes is a large, diverse order of fish collectively known as catfish. Catfish vary in size, with the wels catfish as 650 lbs (290 kg) and 13 ft (4 m) being the largest. In contrast, the walking catfish is only 22 inches (56 cm) in length. Catfish are so-named due to the barbels (feelers) that extend from the upper jaw and, in some species, from the lower jaw, resembling the whiskers of a cat.
Catfish are a staple diet in many areas of the US, and account for ½ of the aquaculture production in the US. The bullhead is the most common catch.
Some species of catfish have some very unusual features. One whole family of catfish have air- breathing organs, enabling them to live outside of the water. The walking catfish is one of these fish, and can migrate across land to another body of water. The blind catfish is unusual in that it lives in caves. The eyes are atrophied and useless, as they wouldn't be able to be used in the darkness of a cave anyway. The candiru of South America is the only vertebrate to parasitize humans; it uses spines located around its head to lodge itself in the human urethra.
Catfish can be found in freshwater in North America, Africa, Asia, and South America. Two families of catfish can be found in saltwater. Catfish fossils have been found in Antarctica. Most catfish are nocturnal scavengers and feed on insects and algae. They are popular aquarium pets as they will eat any algae growing on the sides of the fish tank.
There are 2200 species of catfish in 34 families:
Ageneiosidae (bottlenose catfish)
Akysidae (stream catfish)
Amblycipitidae (torrent catfish)
Amphiliidae (loach catfish)
Ariidae (sea catfish)
Aspredinidae (banjo catfish)
Astroblepidae (climbing catfish)
Auchenipteridae (driftwood catfish)
Bagridae (bagrid catfish)
Callichthyidae (callichthyid armoured catfish)
Cetopsidae (whalelike catfish)
Chacidae (froghead catfish)
Clariidae (labyrinth catfish)
Cranoglanidae (armourhead catfish)
Diplomystidae (diplomystid catfish)
Doradidae (thorny catfish)
Helogenidae (helogenid catfish)
Heteropneustidae (airsac catfish)
Hypophthalmidae (lookdown catfish)
Ictaluridae (North American freshwater catfish)
Loricariidae (suckermouthed armoured catfish)
Malapteruridae (electric catfish)
Mochokidae (upside-down catfish)
Nematogenyidae (nematogenyids)
Olyridae (olyrid catfish)
Pangasiidae (pangasid catfish)
Parakysidae (parakysids)
Pimelodidae (long-whiskered catfish)
Plotosidae (eeltail catfish)
Schilbidae (schilbid catfish)
Scoloplacidae (spiny dwarf catfish)
Siluridae (wels catfish)
Sisoridae (sisorid catfish)
Trichomycteridae (parasitic catfish)
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