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The survival of habitat desiccation by air breathing clariid catfishes

Environmental Biology of Fishes volume 4, pages 273–280 (1979)Cite this article

Synopsis

African and Asian clariid catfishes have long been reputed to survive habitat desiccation by remaining dormant under dry mud or sand, in the manner of the lungfish Protopterus. A literature review of aestivation in Clarias species reveals that many of the early accounts are based on hearsay, native superstition or confusion with the lungfish. Recent evidence indicates that clariids may survive whilst buried in moist sand, or in burrows with water-air interface, but that survival is unlikely in dried mud or sand

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Author notes

  1. Michael N. Bruton

    Present address: J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Freshwater Studies, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    Michael N. Bruton

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  1. Michael N. Bruton
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N. Bruton, M. The survival of habitat desiccation by air breathing clariid catfishes. Environ Biol Fish 4, 273–280 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005484

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005484

Keywords

  • Drought
  • Clarias
  • Air breathing
  • Survival
  • Burrowing
  • Aestivation