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Story: Coarse fish

Ictaluridae features

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Ictaluridae features

Species of the catfish family, Ictaluridae, can be distinguished from other freshwater-fish families in New Zealand as they all have scales, four pairs of long feeler-like barbels around the mouth, stout spines at the front of the pectoral fins, stout spines at the front of the dorsal fin, a lateral line, and an adipose fin.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: R. M. McDowall, Reed field guide to New Zealand freshwater fishes. Auckland: Reed, 2000, p. 137

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How to cite this page

Bob McDowall, Coarse fish – Introductions, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/diagram/15735/ictaluridae-features (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Bob McDowall, published 1 March 2009.