Gulper catfish
(Asterophysus batrachus)
General data
Asterophysus batrachus, the gulper catfish or ogre catfish, is a species of catfish (order Siluriformes) of the family Auchenipteridae.
It is native to the Rio Negro and Orinoco basins in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, where mostly found in slow-moving waters with many submerged structures.
It is currently the only recognized species of the genus Asterophysus, but a specimen that possibly represents an undescribed species has been collected in Marajó (about 1,200 km or 750 mi from the traditionally recognized range of A. batrachus).
The gulper catfish grows to a standard length of 25 cm (9.8 in), and a total length of 28.5 cm (11.2 in).
It has a short, thick-set shape and is dark-colored with a whitish belly.
People in its native range typically will not eat it because they consider it very ugly, but it is sometimes kept in aquariums.
