Mekong giant catfish
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| Mekong giant catfish | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Pangasianodon |
| Species: | Template:Taxonomy/PangasianodonP. gigas
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| Binomial name | |
| Pangasianodon gigas Chevey, 1931
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| Synonyms | |
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Illustration of a Mekong giant catfish at a Buddhist temple in Chiang Khong.
The Mekong giant catfish is a rare species of catfish. It is one of the biggest species of freshwater catfish. It isa part of the Shark catrfish family. It is endemic to the lower half of the Mekong river. Because of overfishing and habitat loss, the fish is now critically endangered. There are estimates, that its population could decrease by 40 percent, if certain hydroelectric dams are built on the Mekong. Sometimes, Mekong Giant Catfish are raised in aquaculture. Today, the fisah are almost eclusively founds in Tonlé Sap lake and Tonle Sap river. It is unknown, whether this constitutes one population, or whether there are two distinct ones. The fish is closely related to the Iridescent shark, which is also known as Pangasius.
