Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822 [N]—North African catfish; Sallour aswad

Taxonomy. Original description: Silurus (Heterobranchus) gariepinus Burchell, 1822: 425, fig.on p. 445 [Vaal River, at Smidtsdrift, above confluence with Riet River, Cape Province, South Africa (28°42’10”S, 24°04’29”E); neotype: SAIAB 520; neotype evidently selected by Bruton & Teugels (1982) but first published in Skelton & Teugels (1992) (see Seegers (1996: 206)].—Syrian synonyms: Clarias orontis Günther, 1864; Clarias lazera Valenciennes 1840 .—Revisions: Teugels (1982: 442).—Illustration: Skelton & Teugels (1992: figs. 1-2).

Status in Syria. First record from Syria by Sauvage (1882: 163) as Clarias orontis; confirmed by Gruvel (1931); Beckman (1962: 173) as Clarias lazera, Ali (2003); Al-Horani (2005); Saad et al. (2006).—Syrian material: BMNH, MNHN, MSL.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Syria: Euphrates and Tigris river basins, Orontes River and Yamuk River.—Distribution in River Basin: 1-Dajleh & Khabour, 2-Euphrates & Aleppo, 3-Desert, 4-Orontes, 5- Barada & Awaj, 6-Coastal, 7-Al-Yarmouk.—General distribution: Widespread in Africa, Asia Minor and Middle East. Widely introduced elsewhere.—Distribution in Ecoregion: 436-Coastal Levant, 437-Orontes, 438- Jordan River, 440-Arabian Interior, 441-Lower Tigris & Euphrates, 442-Upper Tigris & Euphrates.— Habitat: This species is a benthopelagic (living and feeding near the bottom as well as in midwaters or near the surface), potamodromous (migratory), and freshwater fish species. Freshwater.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

Conservation. Conservation status in Syria: Unknown.—IUCN: LC (IUCN 2023).—Threats: This species is of major economic importance all over its range and it is even an important aquaculture species.—Low sensitivity to human activities.—Not considered as a keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.—Low priority for conservation action.