Catfish

The catfish belong to the super-order Ostariophysi, order Siluriformes, and are grouped under 31 families. The principal families covered are as follows:

• Callichthyidae - Small armoured catfish.
• Siluridae - Catfish with very long anal fins and small, or absent, dorsal fins.
• Doradidae - Heavy bodied with a single row of bony plates, every of which bear a spine, running along the centre of every side of the fish.
• Bagridae - Unarmoured catfish with long barbels. Old World.
• Pimelodidae - Unarmoured catfish with long barbels. New World.
• Bunocephalidae - Unarmoured catfish with flat heads.
• I.oricariidae - Spiny armoured catfish with sucking disc mouths.

Catfish never have scales, but some species are partly or totally covered with bony plates, and also the vast majority have barbels.