Gafftopsail Catfish, Rockport, Texas April 2019

Don’t let the shiny surface of the Gafftopsail Catfish (Bagre marinus) fool you – this fish is adorned with long, venomous spines (hiding in the dorsal and pectoral fins). Fishing websites recommend caution when dealing with this species as one wrong move can send you to the emergency room in horrible pain. Interesting factoid, the male is a mouthbreeder, meaning after fertilizing her eggs (up to 55 of them) he carries them in his mouth until they hatch. He must forgo food for the entire 65 day incubation period. What a good dad!