# Iridescent shark (*Pangasianodon hypophthalmus*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/iridescent-shark  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) is a bony fish in the family Pangasiidae, part of the order Siluriformes. It is also called Swai, Patin, Sutchi catfish, Striped catfish and Pangasius catfish. The IUCN Red List classes the iridescent shark as Endangered (EN) in its global assessment, a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | riverine |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Endangered (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Siluriformes
- family: Pangasiidae
- genus: Pangasianodon
- species: *Pangasianodon hypophthalmus* (Sauvage, 1878)

Synonyms: *Helicophagus hypophthalmus*, *Pangasius hypophthalmus*, *Pangasius sutchi*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the iridescent shark?

The iridescent shark is a bony fish. It belongs to the order Siluriformes and the family Pangasiidae.

### What is the scientific name of the iridescent shark?

Its scientific name is Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, placed in the genus Pangasianodon.

### Is the iridescent shark endangered?

Yes. The IUCN Red List classes it as Endangered (EN) in its global assessment, which is a threatened category.

### What other names does the iridescent shark have?

It is also called Swai, Patin, Sutchi catfish, Striped catfish and Pangasius catfish.

### What family does the iridescent shark belong to?

It belongs to the family Pangasiidae, in the class Teleostei.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/iridescent-shark