Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Order Siluriformes | |
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Similar Catfish, Wallago attu, Wallago, Wallagonia micropogon, Wallagonia | ||
Wallagonia leerii, also known as the striped wallago catfish or helicopter catfish, is a species of catfish native to Southeast Asia. Its habitat ranges from the river drainages of Thailand through the Malayan peninsula to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. It can grow up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in length and weigh up to 95 kg (209 lb). It has been used as food in Southeast Asia since ancient times.
Until osteological research validated the genus Wallagonia in 2014, W. leerii was included in the genus Wallago.
The other two species of the genus Wallagonia, W. micropogon from the Mekong river basin and W. maculatus from the Kinabatangan river basin on Borneo, are currently considered as distinct species. There are, however, strong suspicions that they may in fact be subspecies of W. leerii, as the sole difference seems to lie in a slightly different coloration.
Mating
In July, adults migrate downstream to flooded grasslands to spawn. At night, the eggs are spawned near the surface.