Amur Catfish
an Invasive Species
The Amur Catfish / The Japanese Common Catfish
Scientific name- Silurus asotus
Silurus asotus is widely spread in East Asia. It is distributed from the Amur River Basin to Red River basin in northern Viet Nam including The Korean Peninsula, Japan and Taiwan and Viet Nam.
Weight
Maximum Weight of an Amur Catfish is around 66lbs/
Length
Maximum length of an Amur Catfish is 51 in. (130 cm.)
Statue dedicated to The Amur Catfish
Located in Japan
Physical Discription
The stomach of the Amur Catfish is white with irregular white spots along its sides. It has 1 pair of maxillary barbels (upper whiskers) longer than its head and a pair a mandibular barbels (lower whiskers) , usually less than half the size of the maxillary barbels.
Native to:
China
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Mongolia
Russian Federation
Why is it a problem?
No major threat to the species so population continues to rise in the US, eats many types of fish that are needed for distribution.
Where is it in the US?
Coastal States such as LA., FL, and GA because they are usually found in slow running rivers and muddy riverbeds.
Spread by:
Mating and breeding up the rivers and stream. Sold for profit and eventually found their way into the US.
Can be controlled by:
Fishing tournaments and a fishing season.
MLA Citation
"AMUR FISH - DIVERSE AND TASTY." AMUR FISH - DIVERSE AND TASTY. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.
"Silurus Asotus." Silurus Asotus. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2014