Rita rita

Rita rita
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Bagridae
Genus:	Rita
Species:	R. rita
Binomial name
	Rita rita; (F. Hamilton, 1822)
Synonyms
	Pimelodus rita Hamilton, 1822; Arius ritoides Valenciennes, 1840; Rita ritoides (Valenciennes, 1840); Rita buchanani Bleeker, 1853; Arius cruciger Owen, 1853; Rita crucigera (Owen, 1853);

Rita rita (Common names: Rita (English), রিঠা (Bengali)) is a species of bagrid catfish that is found across southern Asia. It has been recorded in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. It is one of the giants of its genus, growing a length of 150 cm. It is commercially fished for human consumption.

R. rita is a sluggish, bottom-dwelling catfish.[1] It inhabits rivers and estuaries, preferring muddy to clear water. It also prefers backwater of quiet eddies.

R. rita is an omnivorous catfish; the bulk of its diet consists of mollusks. In addition, it feeds on small fishes, crustaceans, insects, as well as on decaying organic matter.[1]

References

Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2011). "Rita rita" in FishBase. December 2011 version.

Yashpal, Madhu; Kumari, Usha; Mittal, Swati; Mittal, Ajay Kumar (June 2006). "Surface architecture of the mouth cavity of a carnivorous fish Rita rita (Hamilton, 1822) (Siluriformes, Bagridae)" (PDF). Belg. J. Zool. 136 (2): 155–162.

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[Yashpal-1] Yashpal, Madhu; Kumari, Usha; Mittal, Swati; Mittal, Ajay Kumar (June 2006). "Surface architecture of the mouth cavity of a carnivorous fish Rita rita (Hamilton, 1822) (Siluriformes, Bagridae)" (PDF). Belg. J. Zool. 136 (2): 155–162.