ARIIDAE Netuma thalassinus, 12.6 cm SL (photo by Seishi Kimura) Netuma thalassinus, 19.3 cm SL (from Bintan I., Indonesia; photo by Seishi Kimura) Netuma thalassinus (Rüppell, 1837) Giant Sea Catfish D I, 7; A 14-18; P1 I, 11-13; P2 6; GR 4-5 + 8-10. Body elongated, compressed. Head depressed; head shield almost smooth, finely granulated; dorsomedian groove shallow, short, not reaching anteriorly to level of posterior end of eye. Snout rounded or angular. Palatal teeth minute, tips sharp, on 3 pairs of patches, located just posterior to upper oral valve; inner patches on both sides separated, not fused together; 3 patches forming a large triangle. Inner gill rakes absent on the anterior 2 gill arches. Caudal fin lobes, somewhat long, slender; adipose fin small. Lateral line bifurcates behind caudal fin base. Color: body silvery; brownish dorsally; dorsal and pectoral fins blackish, other fins dusky; adipose fin with a black marking. Size: maximum length 1.3 m SL. Distribution: widely distributed in Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa to east coast of Australia, north to Philippines and southern China. Remarks: inhabits coastal waters. Feeds on crustaceans, squids, and fishes. Marketed fresh.