Species: Sciades couma, Couma Sea Catfish

Sciades couma (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1840)

Couma Sea Catfish

Head rounded, only slightly flattened; snout long, overhangs mouth, only slightly rounded when viewed from above; bony head shield very rough, granular, extends forward to between eyes; bony process between head shield and pre-dorsal plate rough, broad at base, tapering to rear, rounded above, without a keel; bony plate at front of base of dorsal fin large, saddle shaped; a large transverse skin fold between rear nostrils; three pairs of barbels (on both jaws and chin), top barbels with very thick bases; roof of mouth with two pairs of patches of conical teeth, front pair fused centrally and continuous with rear pair, the entire set U shaped; gill rakers on second arch 19-20 (17-21), no tiny rakers on rear of 1st 2 gill arches; gill opening wide, membranes not adhering to breast; pectoral soft rays 11 (10-11); tail fin deeply forked; a complete lateral line, with branches to top and bottom base of tail fin, no scales.

Yellowish-grey to dark grey brown above, abruptly white below; all fins dark grey, pectorals and pelvics with white edges.

Reaches 100 cm.

Rivers and turbid estuaries, to hypersaline waters.

Depth range: 1-20 m?

The Gulf of Paria (Venezuela) to the mouth of the Amazon.