Kamba Catfish of the Congo

Explanation: This happy fellow has just landed a great prize, here in the humid central Congo River Basin of tropical Africa. This is a kamba catfish which will be our meal for the evening and beyond.

Found only in central Africa, this species can grow to nearly 5 feet (150 cm) long and nearly 300 pounds (135 kg)! The species is not threatened, but very large specimens are likely becoming scarcer due to fishing pressure. Our specimen here is not quite record-setting, but it was a hefty lift.

This catch was taken from the Luilaka River that runs between the north and south portions of the immense Salonga National Park in central Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species is locally known variously as kamba, kokuni, manora, and other names.

Other than general distribution, there appear to be few studies conducted
on this species. Another species of the same genus seems to be
sexually dimorphic -- where male and female appear differently.
Whether this is the case for this species as well is unclear.

Like other catfish, this species sports impressive barbels
by which to feel its way in the murky river waters and
by which to find prey along the river bottom.
Catfish barbels can hold external taste buds.

EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week