Bagrus is a genus of bagrid catfishes. These are relatively large catfish found in freshwater habitats in Africa,[1] except for the virtually unknown B. tucumanus from South America, which likely is a synonym of Luciopimelodus pati.[2][3]
The present scientific name Bagrus was first proposed by Louis Augustin Guillaume Bosc in 1816 for the bayad and its closest relatives. Although in 1809, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire had already separated this fish in his new genus Porcus. But this was overruled by the ICZN, so that the junior synonym could continue to be used.[4]
A possible fossil Bagrus from about 7 million years ago, found in Late Miocene Baynunah Formation[5] rocks near Ruwais (Abu Dhabi), has been described:[4]
However, it is not quite clear whether it belongs in Bagrus or some other Bagridae genus, or even in the Claroteidae.[4]