Belonging to one of the carp families, catla is found in several parts of Sri Lanka. Also referred to as the Indian carp, its scientific name is “Catla catla” or “Gibelion catla”. Found throughout South Asia, catla can even reach lengths of 5 feet and weight as much as 100 kilograms. However, the catla that is commonly found in Sri Lanka do not reach these large sizes. The order to which this fish belongs to is Cypriniformes and it is further listed under the family Cyprinidae. A riverine environment is required for these types of fish and it is commonly found in freshwater bodies.

Due to several strong similarities between other types of carps, catla have been confused with other fish species. The body of the catla, according to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of the United Nations, is laterally compressed as its depth is more than the length of its head. These fish are also being produced in nations such as India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, and Laos. It grows best in water where the temperature ranges between 25 degrees and 32 degrees.

References
http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Catla_catla/en
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/166425/0