Kryptopterus bicirrhis
| Kryptopterus bicirrhis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Siluridae |
| Genus: | Kryptopterus |
| Species: | K. bicirrhis |
| Binomial name | |
|
Kryptopterus bicirrhis (Valenciennes, 1840) |
|
Kryptopterus bicirrhis, often called the glass catfish, is an Asian glass catfish species of the genus Kryptopterus. Until 1989, the concept of K. bicirrhis included its smaller relative Kryptopterus vitreolus ("ghost catfish"; often confused with K. minor). Its scientific name K. bicirrhis and common name glass catfish are often still used in the aquarium fish trade to refer to the actual K. vitreolus; as it seems, the larger and more aggressive true K. bicirrhis was only ever exported in insignificant numbers.
In western Borneo, where K. minor and K. bicirrhis are sympatric, both species are known as lais tipis in the Malay language, but when locals want to distinguish the two, they refer to K. minor as lais limpok. In Cambodia, where it is known as trey kes prak, the Khmer people use the ghost catfish as a key ingredient in the fine fish condiment prahoc.
The true K. bicirrhis is easily separated from K. vitreolus. K. bicirrhis reaches a significantly larger size, up to 15 cm (5.9 in) standard length, and most of its body is not clearly transparent (only obvious around the head). The body of K. bicirrhis is mostly opaque and light greyish.
When struck by light, it has an iridescence, and it turns milky white when it dies. It has two long barbels for locating food, which are as long again as the body in front of the anal fin. The dorsal fin is reduced to a tiny triangle, and the pectoral fins are longer than the head.
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Wikipedia