Neoarius leptaspis

Neoarius leptaspis, the triangular shield catfish, boofhead catfish, freshwater forked tailed catfish, salmon catfish, or lesser salmon catfish,^[2] is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae.^[3] It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1862, originally under the genus Hexanematichthys.^[1] It inhabits marine, brackish and freshwaters in Australia and New Guinea, at a maximum known depth of 135 m (443 ft). It reaches a maximum standard length of 60 cm (24 in).^[3]

Neoarius leptaspis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Ariidae
Genus:	Neoarius
Species:	N. leptaspis
Binomial name
Neoarius leptaspis (Bleeker, 1862)
Synonyms[1]
Ariopsis leptaspis (Bleeker, 1862) Arius leptaspis (Bleeker, 1862) Hexanematichthys leptaspis Bleeker, 1862

The diet of the triangular shield catfish includes insects, mollusks, prawns, finfish and aquatic plants.^[4] It is preyed upon by fish such as Scleropages jardinii and the Barramundi, and snakes in the species Acrochordus arafurae.^[5]

The triangular shield catfish breeds between September and January.^[3]