Family : Ariidae (Sea catfishes)
Order : Siluriformes  (catfish)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Giant seacatfish
Fish Name : Netuma thalassina
Max size : 185 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 30573); max. published weight: 1,000 g (Ref. 4883)
Environment : demersal; amphidromous ; depth range 10 - 195 m
Climate : subtropical
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2-4; tmax=19)Distribution : Western Indian Ocean: known with certainty from the Red Sea and the northwestern Indian Ocean. A closely related form occurs in the Philippines and Gulf of Thailand. The wider distribution usually given for this species stems from misidentifications of similar species overlapping its range. Also reported from Australia, Polynesia and Japan and rarely in the Mekong delta (Ref. 12693).
Diagnosis :
Biology : A marine species often found in estuaries, but rarely enters freshwater. Typically euryhaline (Ref. 3876). Reported to occasionally ascend into fresh water (Ref. 12693). Recorded at temperatures ranging from 26-29°C. Feeds mainly on crabs, prawns, mantis shrimps (Squilla species) but also on fishes and mollusks. An important food fish. Marketed mostly fresh; often dried
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Ferraris, Jr., Carl J.
Main Ref : Rainboth, W.J.. 1996. (Ref. 12693)

India country information
Common Names : നവേ എട്ട  , വലിയ ഏട്ട, மண்டை கெளீரு, ಕಗ್ಗಿ ಶೆಡ್ಡಿ , ಮೊಗರು ಶೆಡ್ಡಿ  , മണ്ടി കലവ , शिंगळा, തേയ്ടൂ, జెట్టె జెల్లు  , നാവേട്ട, மண்‍டைக் கெளிறு, വലിയേട്ടാ, തൊങ്ങാടം , നവേട്ട  , తొగడమ  , Giant marine-catfish, Jeddi-jellu, Kaggishedde, Mandai-kaliru, Marine catfish, Mogarushedde, Navetta, Navettah, Shingala, Thogadam, Valiaetthah
Status : native
Salinity : brackish, marine
Uses : no uses