Catfish vs. Dogfish — What's the Difference?

Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia, the wels catfish of Eurasia, and the piraíba of South America, to detritivores (species that eat dead material on the bottom), and even to a tiny parasitic species commonly called the Candiru, Vandellia cirrhosa.

A small sand-coloured bottom-dwelling shark with a long tail, common on European coasts.

A freshwater or marine fish with barbels resembling whiskers round the mouth, typically bottom-dwelling.

A small shark that resembles or is related to the dogfish, sometimes caught for food.

Another term for wolf fish

Any of various small sharks chiefly of the family Squalidae, often occurring in large schools.

Fish for catfish

See bowfin.

Lure (someone) into a relationship by means of a fictional online persona

Any of various small sharks

Any of numerous scaleless, chiefly freshwater fishes of the order Siluriformes, characteristically having whiskerlike barbels extending from the upper jaw. Also called regionally mud cat.

Especially those from the family Squalidae

Any fish of the order Siluriformes, mainly found in fresh water, lacking scales, and having barbels like whiskers around the mouth.

A catshark, any shark from family Scyliorhinidae

The meat of such a fish, popular in the Southern U.S. and Central Europe.

A kitefin shark, any shark from family Dalatiidae

(internet) Someone who creates a fake profile on a social media platform in order to deceive people.

(UK) Scyliorhinus canicula or Scyliorhinus stellaris

(internet) Such a fake profile.

(Azores Is.) Scyliorhinus canicula

To fish for catfish.

(Canada) Squalus suckleyi

To create and operate a fake online profile to deceive (someone).

(Bermuda) Mustelus canis

A name given in the United States to various species of siluroid fishes; as, the yellow cat (Amiurus natalis); the bind cat (Gronias nigrilabrus); the mud cat (Pilodictic oilwaris), the stone cat (Noturus flavus); the sea cat (Arius felis), etc. This name is also sometimes applied to the wolf fish. See Bullhrad.

(Barbados) Bodianus rufus

Flesh of scaleless food fish of the southern United States; often farmed

(Guyana) Ginglymostoma cirratum or Mustelus canis

Large ferocious northern deep-sea food fishes with strong teeth and no pelvic fins

(Trinidad and Tobago) Ginglymostoma cirratum

Any of numerous mostly freshwater bottom-living fishes of Eurasia and North America with barbels like whiskers around the mouth

(Namibia) Squalus acanthias, Squalus blainville, Squalus megalops, or Squalus mitsukurii

(US) The bowfin, Amia calva.

A small shark, of many species, of the genera Mustelus, Scyllium, Spinax, etc.

The bowfin (Amia calva). See Bowfin.

The burbot of Lake Erie.

Primitive long-bodies carnivorous freshwater fish with a very long dorsal fin; found in sluggish waters of North America

Any of several small sharks