besudo sea catfish
Cathorops tuyra
Sea and estuary catfish of the Pacific, from Panama to Peru. Fin spines wound the angler, and its flesh is sold fresh.
Also called: bagre-beiçudo, bagre besudo, besudo sea catfish
- maximum
- 34 cm
- record/max.
- 0.3 kg
who is the besudo sea catfish
Fish of the family Ariidae, scaleless, with spines in the fins. It lives near the bottom in marine, brackish and fresh waters, from the coast to the lower reaches of rivers and estuaries. It reaches 33.9 cm total length and 314 g. It is a commercial fishery species, and the specimens are sold fresh in markets. For rod anglers, it is an occasional catch in estuary areas, and it requires care in handling because of the spines.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the besudo sea catfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated, scaleless catfish with barbels around the mouth and spines in the fins, like the other sea catfish of the family Ariidae. The Cathorops of the Pacific look very much alike, and Cathorops dasycephalus, which lives on the same coast, is the closest look-alike. Identification in the field depends on detailed examination, not on a single trait.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It occurs in the eastern Pacific, from Panama to Peru, through Colombia and Ecuador, in estuaries, brackish waters and the lower reaches of rivers.
Habitat: Near the bottom, in estuaries and the lower reaches of rivers, in marine, brackish and fresh water.
rules for the besudo sea catfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
The fin spines cause wounds: handle it with a cloth or glove, remove the hook with pliers, and release the fish with care.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00692, b = 3.07; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Cathorops tuyra (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Cathorops tuyraNames by country and language.
