Ancharius fuscus Steindachner, 1880
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6 - 7; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 14 - 15; Vertebrae: 44 - 46. Diagnosis: Ancharius fuscus is distinguished from other species of Anchariidae by the following unique characters: shorter snout, 40.1-45.8% of head length vs. 47.1-54.3; longer maxillary barbels, reaching to midpoint of pectoral-fin base vs. not reaching to base of pectoral spine; pectoral spine serrated along its entire posterior margin; vs. along distal half only; and purplish-gray colouration vs. highly mottled dark gray and cream, lead gray or mottled brownish-gray (Ref. 56142). It further differs from Ancharius griseus in having a shorter dorsal-fin spine, 14.6-22.6% of standard length vs. 22.9-24.3%; and larger eye, 11.4-15.4% of head length vs. 9.3-10.1% (Ref. 56142).
Common Names
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Teleostei
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Anchariidae
Genus: Ancharius
Species: Ancharius fuscus Steindachner, 1880
Climate Zone
Location
Biology
Ancharius fuscus is restricted to the middle to upper reaches of several river basins of the eastern coast of Madagascar and to habitats that are not highly degraded (Ref. 56142).
Habitat
demersal