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Of the Clariid catfish, the African sharptooth catfish, is one of the largest species in this group
Modern adults can reach 1 to 1.7 m in length and up to 60 kg in weight. Though typical mature fish are smaller.

The fish are nocturnal. They feed on living, as well as dead, animal matter. Such as insects, plankton, snails, crabs, shrimp; other invertebrates, birds, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, other fishes, and eggs. And even, plant matter such as fruit and seeds.

Because of its large mouth, it is able to swallow large things

Clariid catfish breathe air and tolerate warm, shallow, often hypoxic waters
Making them abundant where freshwater bodies persist.

Early fishing in the Levant and Egypt focused on shallow-water lagoonal, riverine and brackish species rather than large freshwater predators

Deep-water marine and exotic aquatic species (including Nile taxa) become more common much later in the Bronze and Iron Ages.

Catfish (including Clarias gariepinus) appear frequently in Egyptian art and faunal assemblages
Implying a daily role in diet. In many of the pieces they are shown being caught with nets, baskets, or spears.

Providing protein and fat; and, eaten fresh or preserved (dried, smoked or salted). They could also be grilled or roasted on open fires and eaten with staple breads and animal fats
Though preservation of organic food residues and cookware use is often poor.

Clariid catfish, are found in rivers, lakes, swamps, floodplains & similar habitats across Africa & parts of the Middle East. Check it out with some more neolithic architecture today.

Bibliography: Hadi, H. D., Baraaj, A. H., Ali, A. H., & Sajet, M. R. (2024). FIRST RECORD OF THE NORTH AFRICAN CATFISH CLARIAS GARIEPINUS (BURCHELL, 1822) (SILURIFORMES, CLARIIDAE) IN TIGRIS RIVER, IRAQ. Bulletin of the Iraq Natural History Museum, 18(2), 477–485. https://doi.org/10.26842/binhm.7.2024.18.2.0477

Lernau, Omri. (2015). Fish bones – Summit of the City of David.

Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). “Clarias gariepinus” (http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Speci
esSummary.php?genusname=Clarias&speciesname=gariepinus). FishBase.

fish clarias gariepinus: Topics by Science.gov. (n.d.). https://www.science.gov/topicpages/f/fish+clarias+gariepinus