| Amur catfish | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Siluridae |
| Genus: | Silurus |
| Species: | S. asotus |
| Binomial name | |
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Silurus asotus Linnaeus, 1758 |
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| Synonyms | |
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The Amur catfish, or Japanese common catfish, Silurus asotus, is a species of catfish (sheatfish), family Siluridae. It is a large freshwater fish found in continental East Asia and in Japan. It prefers slow-flowing rivers, lakes, and irrigation canals. Its appearance is typical of a large silurid catfish. Larval S. asotus specimens have three pairs of barbels (one maxillary, two mandibular), while adult fish have only two pairs (one maxillary, one mandibular); second pair of mandibular barbels degenerates. This species grows to 130 cm (51 in) in total length.