The Goonch Catfish, also known as the giant devil catfish or Bagarius yarrelli, is a very large species of catfish in the genus Bagarius found in rivers in the Indian subcontinent. The species reaches up to 2m (07feet) in length. It may be synonymous with B. bagarius.[1]
The species is known by many names throughout its range in the Indian subcontinent. It is known as the goonch in Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi, baghar or baghair in Bengali and Bihari (these names being the origin of the genus name Bagarius), gauns in Rajasthani, gorua (গৰুৱা) and baghmas (বাঘমাছ) in Assamese and bodh in Chhattisgarhi.[2] Its scientific name commemorates the English naturalist William Yarrell.[3]
The species is frequently taxonomically confused with B. bagarius. B. bagarius has – perhaps in error – been reported as reaching the same size as B. yarrelli, while others consider B. bagarius to be a dwarf species that only reaches about 20cm (10inches). A study published in 2021 found B. yarrelli to be a junior synonym of B. bagarius, likely necessitating a merge of B. yarrelli into B. bagarius.
It is found in large rivers in South Asia, such as the Indus and Ganges basins. It is more common in deeper pools near faster current, but never in small streams. Two other populations were also formerly thought to exist in Southeast Asia (one population in the Mekong-Chao Phraya basin and the other from the Xe Bang Fai of Laos south to Indonesia), but a 2021 study found the former to represent a new species B. vegrandis, and the latter to represent the distinct species B. lica, previously synonymized with B. yarrelli.
While still abundant, the species is considered vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to excessive, unsustainable overharvesting of the species. Hydroelectric projects such as those on the Indravati River may affect the habitat of the species and adversely impact it.[4]
The Order of the Fish was the highest honour of the Mughal Empire and named after this fish.[5]
In Chhattisgarh, the species is worshipped by tribal communities such as the Murias and Gonds, and is popularly referred to as the "shark of the Bastar". There have been efforts to name it the official state fish of Chhattisgarh.