New Granada Sea Catfish

Distinguished by having an elongated parieto-supraoccipital process, which is broader at base than distally, with its sides converging posteriorly to meet the predorsal plate, and 1.6 to 2.0 times longer than the width of its base. Differs also from other Caribbean sea catfishes by having 3 pairs of barbels, a crescent-shaped predorsal plate, much shorter than the parieto-supraoccipital process, and by lacking a fleshy furrow between posterior nostrils, a fleshy groove in a median depression of the head, and gill rakers on rear surfaces of the first two gill arches. Diagnosed from the eastern Pacific Notarius cookei by having a deeper body, with body depth 20.0-20.5% SL (vs. 17.3-17.9% SL in N. cookei). Attains a larger size of at least up to 8.45 cm TL and has a less exposed and rugose head shield than N. cookei with maximum size of 7.9 TL (Ref. 89868).

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Analsoft rays: 19 - 21

Found in turbid water over muddy bottoms in the lower portions of streams, estuaries and mangrove-lined lagoons. Mostly restricted to fresh and brackish waters.

fisheries: minor commercial

The New Granada sea catfish, or Cazon sea catfish (Notarius bonillai) is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It is endemic to the Atrato and Magdalena River basins in Colombia.