Crucifix sea catfish
{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{Speciesbox
| image =
| genus = Sciades
| species = proops
| authority = (Valenciennes, 1840)
| synonyms = {{Specieslist
|Arius proops|(Valenciennes, 1840)
|Bagrus albicans|Valenciennes, 1840
|Bagrus proops|Valenciennes, 1840
|Hexanematichthys proops|(Valenciennes, 1840)
|Sciadeichthys proops|(Valenciennes, 1840)
}}
}}
The crucifix sea catfish (Sciades proops) — also known as the Christfish, the crucifix/crucifex catfish, the crucifixfish, or the gillbacker,[https://www.fishbase.de/ComNames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=955&GenusName=Sciades&SpeciesName=proops&StockCode=971 Common names of Sciades proops] at www.fishbase.org. — is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae.{{fishbase species |genus=Sciades |species=proops |month=July |year=2019}}
This fish was described by Achille Valenciennes in 1840, originally under the genus Bagrus. It inhabits marine, brackish and freshwaters ranging from Brazil to Colombia. It reaches a maximum total length of {{convert|100|cm|in|abbr=on}}, more commonly reaching a TL of {{convert|50|cm|in|abbr=on}}. It reaches a maximum weight of {{convert|9|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. Its maximum known life expectancy is 4 years.
The crucifix sea catfish spawns from October–May.[https://www.fishbase.de/Reproduction/SpawningList.php?ID=955&GenusName=Sciades&SpeciesName=proops&fc=145&StockCode=971 Spawning for Sciades proops] at www.fishbase.org. It is harvested by commercial fisheries, and its meat is marketed fresh.
Diet
The crucifix sea catfish has an extensive diet, consisting largely of crustaceans such as crabs in the genera Callinectes (C. bocourti, C. danae, and C. ornatus), Petrolisthes, and Porcellana (P. sayana); shrimp and prawns in the genera Alpheus, Exhippolysmata (E. oplophoroides), Nematopalaemon (N. schmitti), Penaeus (P. schmitti), and Xiphopenaeus (X. kroyeri); and isopods. It also feeds largely on eels in the families Muraenesocidae and Ophichthidae, and other bony fish in the genera Anchoa, Aspistor (A. quadriscutis), Cathorops ( C. arenatus, C. phrygiatus and C. rugispinis), Evermannichthys, Gobioides, Plagioscion, Pseudauchenipterus (P. nodosus), Stellifer (S. microps and S. rastrifer), Synbranchus (S. marmoratus), and Trichiurus. It also feeds on annelid, polychaete and roundworms, as well as ariid larvae, insects, gastropods, and leaves and twigs from terrestrial plants.[https://www.fishbase.de/TrophicEco/FoodItemsList.php?vstockcode=971&genus=Sciades&species=proops Food items reported for Sciades proops] at www.fishbase.org.[https://www.fishbase.de/trophiceco/DietCompoSummary.php?dietcode=5067&genusname=Sciades&speciesname=proops Food and Feeding Habits Summary Sciades proops] at www.fishbase.org.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2138396}}
Category:Euryhaline fish of Brazil
Category:Taxa named by Achille Valenciennes
Category:Fish described in 1840
{{Ariidae-stub}}