AquaticRepublic.com - Bathyclarias foveolatus (Clariidae) All Fishes

Lateral view
Close-up of head
Dorsal view
Close-up of head

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Bathyclarias foveolatus** (Jackson, 1955)
Common Names	Cratered Clarias Chimwamapumba (Native)
Type Locality	Nkata Bay, Lake Malawi [Lake Nyasa], southeastern Africa.
Synonym(s)	Clarias faveolatus, Clarias foveolatus, Dinotopterus foveolatus
Pronunciation	bath ee klar ee ass. - fav ee o lay tus.
Etymology	From the Greek bathys meaning deep and clarias also from the Greek chlaros, meaning lively; in reference to the ability of clarias to live for long periods out of water. From the latin faveolus, after favus, honeycomb, pertaining to the texture of the skin.
Species Information
Size	750mm or 29.5" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	The small, laterally placed eyes that bulge out from the outline of the head is a key characteristic for distinguishing Bathyclarias from Clarias. Can be Identified by the extensive pockmarks distributed on the fishes skin, as well as the look of being coated with dark oil.
Sexing	The genital papilla, which is to the right of the anus as you look at the fish with its head to the left, is elongated and pointed in males while it is round and relatively larger (and larger than the anus) in females. In ventral view especially, females are much broader in the body than males of equal age and rearing practices.
General Remarks	Occurs in deep water living among rocky areas and feeds on species of fish living among the rocks. Many Africans fear that smallpox will be contracted if this species is eaten so they refrain from doing so, the pock-marked skin being the cause of this fear.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Africa: Endemic and occurring throughout Lake Malawi (Nyasa).
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2018.
Husbandry Information
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London v. 125 (pts 3-4), pp 681, Fig.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There is no record of this fish being seen.
Forum BBCode

	Look up B. foveolatus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up B. foveolatus on Fishbase
	Look up B. foveolatus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up B. foveolatus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.6.712.5712
Last Update	2025 Jan 01 11:57 (species record created: 2013 Sep 19 10:17)