Sperata is a genus of bagrid catfishes.

Sperata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Bagridae
Genus:	Sperata Holly, 1939
Type species
Bagrus lamarrii Valenciennes, 1840
Species
6, see text
Synonyms
Macrones Duméril, 1856 Aoria Jordan, 1919 Aorichthys Wu, 1939 Macronichthys White & Moy-Thomas, 1940 Osteobagrus Jayaram, 1954

Species

There are currently six recognized species in this genus:[1][2]

• Sperata acicularis Ferraris & Runge, 1999
• Sperata aor (F. Hamilton, 1822) - Long-whiskered catfish
• Sperata aorella (Blyth, 1858)
• Sperata aorides (Jerdon, 1849)
• Sperata lamarrii (Valenciennes, 1840)
• Sperata seenghala (Sykes, 1839) - Giant river-catfish

Distribution

Species of Sperata are found in southern Asia from Afghanistan to Thailand where they are found in a wide variety of water bodies.

Relationship to humans

At least two of the Sperata species (S. aor & S. seenghala) are sport fish as well as being important food fish.

References