The spotted sea catfish (Arius maculatus), also known as the spotted catfish, the sea barbel or the marine catfish,[2] is a speciesofsea catfish in the family Ariidae.[3] It was described by Carl Peter Thunberg in 1792, originally under the genus Silurus.[4] It inhabits tropical marine, brackish and freshwater in the Indo-western Pacific region, including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. It dwells at a depth range of 50 to 100 m (160 to 330 ft). It reaches a maximum total length of 80 cm (31 in), more commonly reaching a TL of 30 cm (12 in).[3]
The diet of the spotted sea catfish includes detritus, polychaete worms, mollusks, various crustaceans, and milkfish larvae.[5] It has been recorded spawning between the months of January–April on the coast of Mumbai, India, and in the months of September–October on the coast of Karnataka.[6] The eggs are incubated in the mouths of the males, which are known to consume a minute quantity of the eggs to combat starvation during the period of incubation.[3]
The spotted sea catfish is of commercial interest to fisheries. It is primarily marketed fresh, and the air bladders are used in the wine industry as isinglass.[3]
