Giraffe nosed catfish (Auchenoglanis occidentalis) is found widely in tropical Africa. This is found in Lake Chad, Lake Tanganyika, and other lakes. This is also found in the Niger, Congo, and Blue Nile rivers. Tihis catfish grows to about 20 inches in length. The forward pointing barbels will help identify this species. Burgess-Axelrod in their atlas of freshwater aquarium fish note this a voracious predator which does not work well in a community tank.

This family includes several assorted smaller catfish generally from the warmer areas of the Old World. Examples can be found in India, Thailand, and Africa. Several species are popular aquarium fish.

Catfish, Order Siluriformes, are found throughout the world. Although most of them are freshwater kinds, a few are found in a marine environment. They are characterized by having whiskers and barbels around their mouths. Many search for their food by smell and make little use of their small eyes.

Bony fish, Class Teleostomi, are a class of chordates that include the majority of fish-like animals found on earth. They are characterized by a bony jaw and a bony skeleton. They are found in both fresh and marine waters.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

NEW SEARCH