Home · Cetopsidae · Saul's whale catfish
Saul's whale catfish (Denticetopsis sauli) — Cetopsidae

Saul's whale catfish

Denticetopsis sauli
Family: Cetopsidae

The Saul's whale catfish (Denticetopsis sauli) is a freshwater fish of the family Cetopsidae that grows up to 2 cm.

Length
2.1 cm
Water
Freshwater
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

Saul's whale catfish is a whale catfish (Cetopsidae) from large rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco basin in South America. The species grows to about 8 cm and has a stocky, scaleless, smooth, greyish body with a blunt head, small eyes and short barbels. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it roots through sand and leaf litter and snaps at small invertebrates and detritus. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Saul's whale catfish?

The Saul's whale catfish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Saul's whale catfish live?

The Saul's whale catfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Saul's whale catfish get?

The Saul's whale catfish grows to a maximum of about 2 cm.

Is the Saul's whale catfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Saul's whale catfish is harmless to humans.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Sauls walvismeerval sourced
English name
Saul's whale catfish sourced
Scientific name
Denticetopsis sauli
Family
Cetopsidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
2.1 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Barbels
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Denticetopsis

More from the family Cetopsidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →