Iridescent shark
Species of fish / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The iridescent shark, iridescent shark catfish[4] (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) is a species of shark catfish (family Pangasiidae) native to the rivers of Southeast Asia. Despite its name, it is not a shark. It is found in the Mekong basin as well as the Chao Phraya River, and is heavily cultivated for food there.
Iridescent shark | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Siluriformes |
Family: | Pangasiidae |
Genus: | Pangasianodon |
Species: | P. hypophthalmus |
Binomial name | |
Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878) | |
Synonyms | |
Helicophagus hypophthalmus Sauvage, 1878 |
The meat is often marketed under the common name swai (from Thai สวาย). It has also been introduced into other river basins as a food source, and its striking appearance and iridescence have made it popular with fishkeeping hobbyists, among whom it is also known as the Siamese shark catfish or sutchi catfish.[5] The swai's omnivorous diet consists of crustaceans, other fish, and plant matter.[6]