Species: Brachyplatystoma filamentosum, Kumakuma catfish, the Kumakuma


Brachyplatystoma filamentosum (Lichtenstein, 1819)
Kumakuma
Body elongate, rounded; snout and head depressed; head with a bony shield; front and rear nostrils well separated; eye small (~1/5 snout length), on upper side of head; rear nostril without a flap along its front edge; mouth well under snout; large patches of teeth on sides of roof of mouth; 3 pairs of barbels, top barbels very long, reaching past end of tail; 17-21 gill rakers; 1st dorsal fin large, with short base, 1st spine short, 2nd spine long and pungent; large skin flap 2nd dorsal fin present; anal fin behind dorsal fin base, base short, equal to 2nd dorsal base; pectoral fin very low on side, with large, lockable spine; tail fin deeply forked, upper lobe with a very long filament in juveniles and sub adults, which shortens and may be lost in adults; lateral line complete; scaleless
Head and upper back dark grayish; fins whitish.
Reaches 360 cm.
Juveniles and subadults in river mouths.
Depth range: 1-30 m.
The Gulf of Paria (Venezuela) to northern Brazil.

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- Salinity
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- Brackish
- Freshwater
- Non Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Estuary
- Mud
- Freshwater
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
-
- Data
- Bony fishes
- Sea snakes/mammals/turtles/birds
- Egg Type
-
- Data
- Benthic
- No pelagic larva
- No pelagic phase
- Global Endemism
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- All species.
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Also in Brazil
- All species..
- Continent
- Extends South of GC
- GC non-endemic
- Continent only
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- IUCN Red List
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- Not evaluated / Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 360
- Depth Range Min
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- 1
- Depth Range Max
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- 30