Lake Biwa giant catfish (Silurus biwaensis)

Image source: Jo's Animal Database
General data
- Main name: Lake Biwa giant catfish
- Climates: Temperate
- Habitat: Freshwater
- Native: Asia
- Distribution: Yodo River, Lake Biwa
Classification
- Genus: Silurus - Eurasian catfishes
- Family: Siluridae - Eurasian catfishes
- Order: Siluriformes - Catfishes
- Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
- Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes
Description
The giant Lake Biwa catfish is a large predatory catfish species endemic to Lake Biwa in Japan. It is very similar to wels catfish, which it is closely related to. It has an elongated cylindrical body and can reach up to 1.18 m (3 ft 10 in) in length and weigh as much as 17 kg (37 lb). The top of the body is dark grey to black in colour while the underside is a pale, whitish colour.