Common names: sea-catfish (English), congo (Espanol)
 
Cathorops steindachneri  (Gilbert & Starks, 1904)

Steindachner's sea-catfish


Body elongate; top of head rough on rear half, covered with thin skin;  a single long, narrow groove on top of head; eye relatively large, 2.0-2.8 in fleshy space between eyes;3 pairs of barbells (on chin and both jaws); lips fleshy, but not thick; jaw bone wide, with conical teeth, teeth at front of top jaw in continuous broad band; roof of mouth with two large, well separated, horizontally oval patches of large molariform teeth; gill opening restricted to sides by adhesion of gill membranes to breast; rakers present on posterior surface of all arches; dorsal rays I, 7; anal rays 22-23; pectoral rays I, 10.

Dusky brownish on back, silvery white on sides and belly
Size: to 36 cm.

Mainly in brackish river mouths, but also in freshwater.

Depth: 0-20 m.



Costa Rica to  northern Peru